


Blurry Colors and Bright Shades

by PetalChains



Series: Conquest of Colors Saga [2]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Conquest AU, Conquest Route, Dead Takumi, Dull Shades of Color Sequel, Eventual Romance, F/M, Female My Unit - Freeform, Fluff, Forgiveness, Gen, Ghost Takumi, Ghost!AU, Hauntings, Implied Relationships, Sequel, Sibling Bonding, non-incest, takukamu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 14:30:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 124,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7365262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetalChains/pseuds/PetalChains
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Dull Shades of Color. An AU where Takumi could not pass over to the afterlife after being possessed.Someone is after Takumi, and Kamui needs to find out who before her brother is taken from her again. But how can they work together when he can't forgive her so easily for everything that she's done?</p><p>Updated, and newly edited! Less grammar issues!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1: Discovery

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is the sequel to my previous one shot “Dull Shades of Color.” If you haven’t read that piece then I highly suggest you do that. This is a longer fic and I don’t know how many chapters it will have yet so stay tuned!
> 
> Minor Spoilers for Conquest Endgame. You have been warned.
> 
> There is a small hint towards Takumi's skinship lines! Be on the look out for that!
> 
> Please be sure to leave feedback.

Kamui really had no more reason or drive in her life.

She felt empty, her emotions were dry and her skin had gone cold. She knew that she should have been happy seeing her older brother finally receive the crown in their father’s place. But, even on Xander’s coronation day, she couldn’t muster a simple smile. Her pale lips remained motionless as her carmine pupils moved around the ballroom.

The dragon princess remained against the wall as the numerous Nohrians danced in undulating patterns. She kept her eyes focused on the crowds, and traced the imaginary waves they left in their wake. Her mind was lost in a sea of black and silver, the signature colors of her dark country. And in the deepest part of her heart, she wished for a shocking red or a blissful white to join the dancers.

“Kamui! There you are!” A shrill voice filled her ears as she lifted her head slightly.

A shock of blonde and purple hair made its way towards her from the nearby open balcony doors. Elise stopped in front of her older sister and hopped upon the balls of her feet. She gave a radiant smile and took hold of Kamui’s hand. A simple princess circlet held her blonde pigtails back and her formal black gown glittered in what little light the torches provided. Even in the dim light, her violet eyes glittered with happiness. Her young heart untouched by the despair that resonated with the rest of Nohr.

“Why aren’t you dancing Big Sister? Silas has asked me countless times to see you!”

The youngest princess of Nohr gave a slight pout with her rosy lips before tugging more on Kamui’s sleeve. However, the albino woman did not budge and simply stared at her sister with hollow eyes. She managed a tiny smile for her sister’s antics and pulled her hand away from her grip.

“Elise, you should be with Leo and Camilla.” Kamui’s dry voice tried to mimic the affection she once displayed.

“But what about you? This is the first time you’ve been out of your room in weeks!” Elise stomped her slippered foot on the stone and pouted more.

“I don’t feel like dancing,” Kamui said simply as she folded her hands in front of her lap.

“Big Sister, please tell me what’s wrong. You won't talk to me like you used to!”

Elise’s eyes shined with bright tears, but Kamui did not feel any pang of guilt in her chest.

“ It isn’t something that you should worry about,” Kamui said lightly.

“Do you not trust me…?” Elise whispered.

“Of course I trust you Elise. I’m just not feeling very energetic,” Kamui sighed.

“Well, can I at least come visit you later?” Elise turned her bright eyes upwards and tried to keep her tears from falling. Kamui had to commend her for trying to keep it together even though she knew she was the cause of her sister’s pain.

“If it’ll make you feel better,” Kamui nodded slightly.

Elise smiled sadly up at the dragon princess before slowly making her way back into the crowd. Kamui’s eyes followed her blonde head before her little sister was lost in the night. It wasn’t the first time that someone had turned their back on her and she knew it wouldn’t be the last. The princess raised her eyes towards the vaulted ceiling before she walked out the open doorway. Her siblings were busy celebrating Xander’s coronation; they wouldn’t miss her until morning.

She walked along the inside of the dark hallway, her bare feet padded softly against the worn carpets. The small windows the dotted the empty corridor let in no light for the stars that shone were dim shards. Kamui made her way towards the upper courtyard where the elite guards trained during the day. A massive statue of what was supposedly the Dusk Dragon stood proudly at the center. Kamui’s heart always felt an instinctive tug towards the statue. As if she somehow knew of a tighter bond with the mythical dragon than that of her siblings.

The courtyard could only be considered one in the lightest sense of the word. There was no foliage that protected the area, and she could barely see the inky sky. The air was frigid and there was no moon that night. The open area was just a simple platform with stairways connecting it to the rest of the castle. Kamui planted herself at the foot of the Dusk Dragon statue and pulled her legs towards her chest. At least out here she wouldn’t be able to harm anybody.

“Sister.” Kamui did not turn her head but her shoulders did drop a fraction in relief.

“Takumi.” The dragon princess acknowledged the ghost without looking at him.

The former prince of Hoshido had continued to stay by her side after the first time he discovered that she could see him. Despite the conflict that had left their souls in shambles he found some comfort in being acknowledged by Kamui. Even in the darkness that surrounded them, her body glowed with colors that his world sorely lacked.

“I thought tonight was Xander’s coronation,” He spoke as he joined his sister on the ground.

“It was. But I’ve never been that good in a huge crowd.”

“You led an army before tonight.”

“Yes, but Leo was always the one who knew how to handle the troops.”

“I guess I should be glad that I missed the party.”

“Yeah, you missed out on my horrible dancing.”

Takumi chortled softly for a second before their location became silent again. Kamui’s pointed ears were the only movement that her body produced as they listened for any sound. Her body did not shiver in the cold despite the thin silver gown that fell to her feet.

“Were you in the library again?” Kamui said as her carmine pupil swiveled to see his transparent image.

“Yes. Their archives of history are immense.”

Over the past few weeks Takumi’s presence had become stronger and more noticeable to both Kamui and to those who surrounded her. While the dragon princess was the only one who could see him, Leo and his retainer Odin had become more suspicious of a faint aura that seemed to follow her everywhere. Elise claimed that occasionally she could see a dim figure flit around Kamui. And even Camilla spoke of a time when she thought she saw a second shadow following her sister.

Xander was the only one who could not understand what his other siblings claimed. He thought that it was just an elaborate prank that they were trying to pull before he became king. His lack of magic potential made Kamui smile to herself, he always took everything as a challenge no matter how small. It was no wonder that the border guard Charlotte had taken a certain liking to him.

Takumi had learned to his immense joy that his ability to touch objects was slowly returning. He could only manage to influence the dry leaves that fell or with great focus turn the pages of a book. It was small, but being able to read as he once did was a great sense of familiarity that kept his soul at peace.

“Which book did you steal this time?” She turned her fully in his direction and did not show any reaction to his transparent skin or his shimmering hair.

“I did not steal anything,” He scoffed defensively.

“Okay, which book did you borrow?” She rolled her eyes in response.

“A fairytale book.”

Kamui’s face slackened at his response, and her eyes stared directly at his pale face. Takumi furrowed his brow in defense and bit the inside of his cheek. She had no place to judge him for his choice in literature when all she read was romance novels. The dragon princess seemed to think the same thought and soon she picked her jaw up.

“What? I used to love reading fairytales as a kid.”

Kamui’s body stiffened and she sighed sadly through her nose; it was just one more reminder of what she had done to her little brother. Because of her, Takumi only had his memories to keep him happy. Their mother was dead and so was Ryoma, both souls now could only watch them forlornly from beyond. Hinoka had forbidden Kamui from returning to Hoshido for her own safety, so even Takumi’s home was out of his reach.

“Sister?” Takumi waved his hand in front of her stare. His skin flickered enough to return her to the present.

“Just one more thing I took from you huh?” She asked simply.

Her tone was flat and held no accusation, but in the words, there were the hidden emotions of grim acceptance and hurtful blame. Takumi did not deny her claim but he did move in closer towards her warm and colorful body. He knew that it was merely a selfish need to be closer to her vitality than out of her need for comfort. In that way of selfishness and despair, they were the same.

“Yeah. But I took away your chance to be with our mother.”

The memory of his hateful words after Mikoto’s death did have a part to play in her decision to side with Nohr. He drove her away from the family that had worked so hard out of hope for her return. The sorrowful pang that rang in his empty chest reminded him constantly of the cold shoulder he had given her. Maybe if he had just bitten his tongue back then, maybe his desire to be loved by his older sister might have been real. And their family could have been happy together.

“We really screwed with each other. I’ve destroyed our family and you are dead.”

“Yes, well I let myself get possessed and ended up killing you once.”

“You also shot my sister.”

“Yes, I shot your sister.” Takumi frowned at that fact.

The colors that surrounded her body gleamed softly with an effervescence that moved in time with her heartbeat. The former Hoshidan prince thought the bubbles that formed had something to do with Kamui’s dragon form. Her dragon form always produced different amounts of water from her talons similar to Azura’s water pendant. The soft shades of deep blue and magenta told of her complicated mood. But it was better than the dull shades of grey that he had become accustomed to.

“Hey Kamui?” Takumi’s voice grew soft with uncertainty.

“Yes Takumi?” Her voice was soft but he could sense a small tone of content.

He drew closer to her body until only their hands sitting at their sides separated them. He had tried this idea once before and at the time it had horribly backfired. He could still remember how his hand had phased through her skin and it had left him feeling empty. Takumi shook his head desperately; he was determined to try again. If he could move small objects a little maybe it was worth one more shot.

“Can I touch your hair?” He whispered.

Kamui’s eyes searched his face for a moment before her lips tugged into a confused frown. She clearly remembered his last attempt, and her carmine depths showed her unspoken question. His instinct told him to swallow the lump in his throat, but there was nothing there for he lacked any fluid or bodily functions.

“W-would that be weird?” He stammered.

“No, but Takumi you do remember last time?”

“Of course I do but…” His voice trailed off as he gazed down at their nearly touching hands.

Kamui’s head tilted slightly before she turned her back towards her little brother. She let her white locks flow down the small of her back and folded her hands in her lap. Takumi gasped slightly before he raised his fingers towards the strands. The colors of her body mingled with the white of her hair, and it reminded him of the delicate petals that fell in the Hoshidan spring. He fought his instinct to retreat and raised a transparent hand towards her colorful body.

Takumi’s eyes closed desperately and he waited for the inevitable conclusion to this attempt. He clung desperately to the hope that she would be even slightly tangible. His fingers met a muted texture of soft down, it wasn’t very noticeable but it was there. His amber eyes flew open and he saw his translucent fingers stroking the strands. He could barely feel the way that her hair moved through his fingertips, but the muffled feeling was more than enough to satisfy his fears.

Kamui gasped in response and he could see her face peeking from behind the thick veil of hair. Her carmine eyes shone with a kind of hope that he hadn’t seen in such a long time. She turned back towards him and stared down at his pale hands, the feeling of her hair was immediately missed as he fought the urge to cling on.

“Takumi you can touch me.” Her voice was awestruck.

“ B-barely, but I felt it.” He stared at his hand with confusion and wonder. The skin on his palm was slightly aglow with the magenta shades of her body.

Kamui watched as the light she gave clung to his skin before it faded from their view. Takumi’s face drifted up towards her once more, his hands remained open in an unspoken gesture. She silently nodded her head and hesitantly placed her hands on his open palms. The response was powerful and knocked both parties heads back. Kamui let out a small squeak and she almost fell onto her backside. Except for a pair of powerful hands that clung to her desperately and kept her from moving.

Takumi’s image seemed to come alive with the colors that he absorbed. The magenta and deep blue hues latched on to his hair and clothes. His amber irises became lighter and he let out a light gasp. Kamui did not let go of his hands, despite the cold that seeped into her skin. Eventually, she could feel her energy escaping her, and when her vision began to grow dark she pulled away.

Takmui let out a desperate groan and tried to grab her hands. A moment later his eyes refocused and he shook his head.

“W-what just happened?” He asked mostly to himself.

Kamui could not answer right away because the intense feeling of peace and cold had seeped deep into her skin. She breathed lightly and waited for her heart to stop racing before she could speak. She had never experienced something like that before and from the looks of neither did Takumi.

“I don’t know,” She managed to gasp out when she could finally use her voice.

Takumi’s expression shifted from awe into hopeful curiosity. He inclined his head and lifted his chin with the same request as before. Kamui responded in turn by offering her upturned hands in a welcoming fashion. They did not need any words right now because the discovery of Takumi’s ability to touch pushed all thoughts out of their heads.

Takumi reached for Kamui’s hands again and her colors brightened his world in a kaleidoscopic fashion as he smiled blissfully for the first time in a long while.


	2. Chapter 2: Regrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter 2 incoming. This is an AU, which means there is going to be some divergence from the canon material. Time to see two more Nohrian siblings and introduce some more ghost Takumi shenanigans!
> 
> Minor Spoilers for Conquest Endgame. You have been warned.
> 
> Takumi is starting to show some odd behaviors isn't he?

“Do we really have to go see Xander?” Takumi scoffed.

The ghost followed Kamui through the stone halls of Castle Krakenburg. The darkened corridors and washed out carpets made him cringe. There was barely any color in the castle, save for the maroon floors that reminded him of the blood that he had spilled before. He desired to be outside where at least he could see the grey skies and feel the dry grass with his hands.

“I think I’ve moped around long enough,” Kamui’s words echoed slightly. She was not bothered by the solitude or constant loneliness that plagued the halls.

Kamui’s mood had lightened considerably since the night that the two of them discovered Takumi’s ability to touch things. It was a sensation that many humans took for granted, but the ghost prince was more than thrilled to experience it. He touched everything he could get his hands on, and even now as they walked she could feel his cold fingers threading through her hair.

“Why can’t we go outside?” His impatience was growing with every step they took.

“You don’t have to follow me.” Kamui stated simply.

The Nohrian princess continued to walk for a few steps before she noticed that her ghostly companion had stopped. Her pale face turned to see him staring at her. His amber gaze held a clear offense to her comment. Kamui couldn’t help but giggle at his childish expression.

“Its not funny,” Takumi scowled.

“You’re pouting.” She was pointing at his face and smiling.

“Stop laughing at me.” His scowl deepened and he folded his arms in front of his chest. He turned his head away from his sister and scoffed as she giggled again.

“You’re acting like a child.” Kamui grew tired of his defensiveness and turned heel towards her destination. She did not hear Takumi’s footsteps following her so she assumed he decided to remain behind.

“You are the only one who can see me.”

Takumi’s words hung in the dusty air as Kamui froze in place; her arms grew limp and fell to lie uselessly against her hips. The heavy silence that grew between them was enough for a pin to drop. Kamui’s ears dropped against her skull, her heart tugged tightly in her chest demanding that she turn to face him. She felt his presence closing in on her as he came to stand behind her. His cold fingers weaved gently through her hair; an involuntary shiver went up the back of her spine.

“I follow you around because you see me.”

She swallowed against the lump forming in the back of her throat, the bile burned as she forced it back down. Could she honestly call what they had a relationship? The only reason why he haunted her was that she kept him from feeling lonely. She lifted a hand and grasped his cold skin. The motion made him pause in his ministrations, and he sighed.

“ I don’t want to be alone.” His sorrow hit Kamui directly in the gut.

Takumi’s voice was soft and broken, and she could sense the immense levels of grief and loneliness that arose from it. She closed her eyes to try and regain her bearings but the only image that greeted her was her little brother. He was pointing his Fujin Yumi right at her, the azure energy painted his skin in vibrant shades of blue and green. 

“Now pay for your betrayal!”

Kamui’s eyes shot open, her hands instinctively reached for the dragon stone that sat around her neck. She grasped the blue stone that Azura had given her back in Hoshido. It’s warmth tried to respond to its owner by wrapping the heat around her fingers. Takumi’s fingers continued to follow the path of her alabaster hair; it was a sharp contrast from the memories that replayed in her mind.

“Sister?” Takumi asked.

“Xander is waiting,” Kamui whispered and stepped away from him. Takumi’s hand remained in the air momentarily, as if he was reaching out to her with a silent plea that fell on deaf ears.

*****

Kamui opened the doors to the throne room, the ghost prince following silently behind her. King Xander had given permission for any of his family members to enter as they saw fit. The newly crowned king saw no reason to blockade himself from those who supported him. He was standing before the rustic throne with his back turned to his younger sister. Even as the receiver of the throne, he still refused to sit where Garon once ruled.

“Big Brother is this a bad time?” Kamui asked.

The blonde king turned towards her, he smiled gladly at her unexpected company even with his normal distaste towards surprises. The king’s crown sat proudly upon his brow but it did not diminish the happiness that he openly displayed in his brown irises. Xander walked briskly towards the Nohrian princess and placed his gauntleted upon her delicate shoulder.

“Kamui, I am glad to see you finally out of your room.”

“I just needed time to myself.” Kamui was slightly unnerved by his open affection; her brother had always been the resolute type who kept his emotions hidden.

“I can understand the need to grieve for those you have lost.” Xander’s eyes softened in understanding, but his awkward smile made Kamui’s insides twist.

Takumi grunted quietly, he was standing right next to Kamui in a slightly protective manner. He stared at the king who seemed none the wiser towards his presence. Xander stepped away from Kamui and folded his hands behind his back in a thoughtful gesture.

“How about we invite the others on a family excursion? You look like you could use some fresh air.” His baritone voice tried to sound warm and welcoming, but Kamui could tell by the shakiness that he was trying really hard.

“That sounds wonderful Brother. But why are you trying so hard?”

Xander seemed to lose his balance for a moment at the Kamui’s blunt statement. He coughed into his hand and straightened himself to try and regain what pride he lost in his less than convincing acting.

“Well I uh…I was concerned about you," He stammered.

Kamui noticed the faint blush painting his cheeks, and she could see the sweat beginning to form on his brow. She stepped closer to her older brother and circled him slowly. Seeing the grand king of Nohr stare down at her with uneasiness was just too grand of an opportunity to pass up.

“Brother, did Charlotte put you up to this?” She asked.

Takumi laughed loudly at Xander’s discomfort, Kamui’s ears swiveled towards the unfamiliar sound. She glanced at where the ghost prince stood with his arms holding his chest. She had never heard or had been the cause of his laughter, the cocky sound made her heart stutter.

“Charlotte was concerned about the way that I approach people,” Xander stated. He shifted to stare at the nearby wall as to avoid eye contact.

“Ah so she HAS been seeing you more often,” Kamui drawled sweetly as she slowed to a stop in front of him.

“She is a worthy fighter who deserves recognition for her skills.” Xander failed to hide the real reason why he was seeing her. His painted cheeks were enough of a sign towards his true intentions.

“Or maybe she is something more,” Kamui teased.

“Kamui! What goes on between me and Charlotte is-”

“Oh dear sister are you teasing our poor king already?”

Kamui turned towards her big sister standing at the entrance of the throne room. Camilla was dressed in a casual dress instead of her rather revealing armor. Her two retainers Beruka and Selena were watching them from behind the door. Xander stiffened and pulled at his collar to relieve some of the embarrassment.

“Isn’t it obvious that someone has caught his fancy?” Camilla motioned for her retainers to wait outside and sauntered further into the room.

Beruka gave a single nod and retreated into the shadows, her silver axe glinted menacingly in the dull light always ready to defend Camilla. Selena was much more reluctant. The redhead glared at Kamui for a moment, her gaze searched the albino woman’s features. A glimpsing reaction of recognition glanced her features before she huffed and shut the door behind her.

“I think it’s a wonderful thing that our brother has finally found a potential wife.” Camilla smiled sweetly as she styled her hair behind her ear.

“Camilla! I never said that I was going to marry her!” Xander scolded.

“You might not have said it but I saw you dancing with her yesterday.” Camilla winked and pushed his shoulder playfully.

“Camilla!” Xander said horrified by her keen senses.

“Xander.” Camilla pursed her lips together and blew him a kiss.

Takumi had been circling the pair of Nohrian siblings when Camilla had started talking. When he was alive he couldn’t stand seeing them and he had blamed them for the misfortune that his country had faced. He had been obsessed with killing Kamui and watching as they grieved for their sister in the same way that he had done for Queen Mikoto. Right now he was genuinely curious about how they acted, and he couldn’t help comparing them to his own older siblings.

Camilla was calm and nurturing, but she also had a threatening streak beneath her loving gaze that swore to cut you down if you looked at her the wrong way. In a way, he was reminded of Hinoka and her serious dedication to protecting her siblings and soldiers. Even Xander’s tough exterior but awkward behavior reminded him too closely of his own brother Ryoma. At the thought of his older brother, Takumi stopped in his movement and stared up at the king of Nohr.

Kamui had been watching him from her peripheral vision when she noticed that he had stopped moving. She couldn’t turn her head to look at him because her siblings would think she was staring at the air. She could see his silver hair resting against his backside, and his shoulders that were slumped.

“When are you going to introduce us to her Brother?” Camilla cooed.

“You already know who Charlotte is,” Xander huffed.

Takumi frowned before he came to stand beside Kamui in the middle of the two arguing adults. His expression showed no emotion but she could tell by his shaking hands that he was feeling sad over the thought of his siblings. His hand reached for hers and he grasped her warm fingers with his own. She felt the cold beginning to collect in the bottom of her stomach, but she fought against the wave of nausea and exhaustion.

“Kamui has agreed to our family excursion,” Xander finally spoke up and managed to end Camilla’s tirade.

Camilla let out a joyous sigh before pulling Kamui into her arms and hugging her to her chest. Kamui tried to keep her face from being completely suffocated by Camilla’s breasts but to no avail. She heard Takumi let out an unhappy groan at the loss of contact but her eyes only took in the sight of fabric.

“Oh my dear Kamui I am so happy to hear that.” Camilla put her back on the ground and stroked her white strands with the back of her hand.

Kamui’s attention remained focused on her older sister, but she thought in the back of her head that she heard Takumi growl. The image of her younger brother at the mercy of the purple fog that had clung to his corpse remained burned in her memory. She shook her head and chanced a glance at him.

The ghost was watching the two sisters with curiosity in his amber irises, his brows were raised in question but he didn’t look angry or particularly upset. She noticed his silent question and gave an uncommitted shrug towards why Camilla always insisted on bringing her to her bosom.

“Don’t act so modest dearie. I was getting worried,” Camilla cooed.

“I’m fine now Camilla," Kamui insisted.

“I’m glad to hear it, sweetheart. Otherwise, I was going to break down your door.”

Takumi snorted at her offhanded comment, he was unaware that Camilla was capable of doing things much worse than breaking down a door. Kamui bit her tongue in front of her siblings and fiddled with her dragon stone. It gave her hands something to do even when Takumi resumed his place by her side and started to touch her hair again.

“Ill go gather Leo and Elise. Then we can go on a picnic!” Camilla said excitedly as she sauntered out of the room.

“Did you ever agree to a picnic?” Kamui looked at Xander.

“No,” Xander confirmed with a shake of his head.

Kamui decided to follow her sister’s lead and made her way to the door. Takumi kept close to her backside and kept his fingers latched to her hair. She really needed to explain boundaries to him, even if she was the only one who could see him there was such a thing as too much touching.

“I guess I'll go inform Jakob about our plans.”

“I should tell Laslow and Peri as well.”

Kamui’s fingers grasped the cold brass as Xander’s voice caught her attention.

“You are still thinking of your dead brother.”

Xander stopped her from leaving by putting his hand on top of hers, the slick metal bit into her bare hand. Takumi’s hair stroking froze at Xander’s words; he knew that he was the subject of the king’s concern.

“I know that you regret killing him Kamui. But please don’t hold your grief in.”

Kamui looked up at her brother, she noticed the barest hint of tears growing in his eyes and she mustered all her courage not to bury her face in his chest. She took a deep breath through her nose and exhaled as slowly as possible. Xander waited patiently for her response all the while Takumi was staring at her intently. She could feel his gaze burning into the base of her neck.

“I know that I can come to you with anything Xander. But this is something that I have to deal with on my own,” Kamui sighed with resignation before pushing the doors open. She fled for the shadows and pressed herself against the wall. Xander followed her out of the throne room and searched around hoping to catch her. He frowned with hurt before bowing his head and shutting the double doors with a soft click.

Kamui knew that her brother only cared about her wellbeing, but he wasn’t the type to insist that she open up to him. He would only be her support when she wanted it, he wouldn’t hug her and comfort her like he did when she was a child. She was a warrior of Nohr now, and her king expected her to come to him when she deemed herself ready.

“Sister?” Takumi appeared next to her as he always did.

“Hmm?” Kamui kept her back to the wall; her mind was playing back her memory of watching his possessed body turn into water.

“He was talking about me.”

“Yeah.”

Takumi huffed and grabbed Kamui’s chin, his frigid hands forced her face to look down at him.

“You regret killing me.” His words were calm and monotone.

“Yeah.” It was the only word that Kamui could think to say.

Takumi let go of her jaw and leaned against her shoulder. He gripped at his silver locks and flexed his right palm. His Fujin Yumi had disappeared when he had fallen from the Great Wall back in Hoshido. He didn’t remember hitting the ground and he didn’t remember letting go of his bow. The divine weapon used to comfort him and he always kept it close. Now the lack of his weapon made his fingers curl and a sorrowful wish to hold it again grew in his non-existent heart.

“You miss your weapon,” Kamui spoke up.

“Yeah,” He whispered as he watched his fingers grip the air. 

Kamui put her hand on his shoulders and held him close. He buried his cheek in her shirt and pretended to pull back an arrow. His hands ached to hold the solid wood again.

“And you regret letting it go,” Kamui stated as she guided him down the corridor.

“Yeah," Takumi whispered as he pretended to let go of the arrow, he imagined the azure light piercing the bark of a tree.

He glanced at his sister through his silver veil.

“You regret fighting me.”

“I regret not being able to save you.”

Takumi let out a small laugh and gripped at her sleeve. They really were twisted if they thought that bonding in this way after his death was healthy.

“Hey Kamui.”

“Yeah?”

“If you had a chance to fix your mistakes would you take it?" 

Kamui smiled at her brother and rubbed his shoulder in a shallow but comforting way.

“Yes,” She spoke firmly.


	3. Chapter 3: Ribbon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter 3 is finally out. I think it’s about time for some more angst and character establishment. In the next chapter we will finally see Leo and a new character that is going to start up the plot. 
> 
> In my head canon Kamui is about 20 years old and she’s been in Nohr for about 15 years. Which means she was about 5 years old when she was kidnapped and Takumi was about 3 making him 18 when he died in Conquest.
> 
> Minor Spoilers for Conquest Endgame. You have been warned.

In her 15 years in Nohr, Kamui had taken up a particular habit that her siblings and retainers found to be odd. The albino woman sat in front of her vanity as she brushed out her long white locks with one hand. With her eyes still on her reflection, her right hand opened up one of the lower drawers.

Inside was a vast collection of feathers, stones, and ribbons that she would decorate her hair with. Garon never let Kamui step foot outside of the lonely halls of the Northern Fortress. But, that hadn’t stopped the dragon princess from collecting the fallen feathers from nests in the rafters or finding random stones in the stables. Camilla had only encouraged her habit by giving her a new ribbon every time she visited.

From the corner of her vision, a flash of red and the texture of satin invaded her senses. She pulled her hand away as if a Fire tome had burned her. She glanced down at the red ribbon that sat innocently amongst its brethren.

“Thank you my sister.”

The red ribbon was the last thing that had been left behind when Takumi’s body had dissolved into water.

“Sister!” Takumi’s voice called out to her as the ghost phased through her door.

Kamui slammed her drawer shut in a panic and turned to face him, her brush fell from her occupied hand and clattered onto her vanity. The ghost paused when he saw his sister’s reaction and lifted a brow in mild curiosity.

“Did I invade on your private time?” He asked.

“N-no, you’re fine Takumi,” Kamui stuttered.

She couldn’t make eye contact when she remembered the relief and sadness that had reflected in his eyes when he died.

Kamui turned in her chair and faced the mirror; she brushed her fingers through her locks in a vain attempt to keep herself from breaking down. Even with months of recovery and fortifying her heart, she was no match for the spirit that continued to haunt her. She couldn’t muster the courage to banish him from her presence.

Takumi frowned when his sister turned away from him; he had no reflection in the mirror. Even with his gaze blatantly boring into her back, she didn’t flinch. Something in the bottom of his gut didn’t sit right with her reaction. He couldn’t name the emotion that he was starting to feel; all he recognized was a slight pull towards the albino woman who wouldn’t face him.

“If I’m fine then why aren’t you facing me?” He asked cautiously.

One of Kamui’s eyes peeked from the curtain of her white bangs; she had resumed brushing her hair. Her lifted eyebrow silently asked him why he didn’t notice something so obvious.

“I’m brushing my hair. And I don’t have eyes in the back of my head,” She quipped.

The tugging Takumi felt in his gut dissolved when she acknowledged him. He coughed into his sleeve. His memory of her betrayal was still fresh in his mind even so many months later. So why was his heart telling him that he needed Kamui to acknowledge him?

“Takumi? Why are you staring off into space?” Kamui called. 

“Uh, what?” Takumi shook his head in surprise.

“I know you don’t have any organs now but I had hoped that you still had a brain,” Kamui said calmly.

“Hey!” Takumi moved towards her seat and slapped her upside the back of her head.

Kamui squeaked and swerved around, her feet went through Takumi’s image causing him to yelp and move backward. The dragon princess’s eyes were as wide as saucers and her mouth was held agape.

“How did you move so fast?” She questioned.

“I don’t know. I just wanted to shut you up," Takumi pouted.

The former Hoshidan prince shivered as he tried to calm himself by hugging his arms to his chest. Kamui had gone through him, even though he could touch her when she wasn’t paying attention she could still walk through him like air. The emptiness and solitude that had followed him since his death threatened to drag him back down. He had just begun the long process of feeling at peace; he didn’t want his world to lose its color so soon.

“Takumi?” Kamui’s voice was coated with worry, but her words sounded muffled.

Takumi gripped at his loose locks and tried to swallow back the fear. He didn’t want to be alone again. He didn’t to suffer from the desolate solitude and silence that had greeted him when he had first come back to the world.

“Please no…” He whimpered.

He had no physical presence in the world, and nobody was going to recognize him for his potential. He was always going to be remembered as the Second Prince of Hoshido who led a sad and empty life. The poor child who was chosen by a sacred weapon, only to prove that he didn’t have the strength to protect his family or prevent himself from getting possessed.

Nobody loved him and nobody would truly remember who he was.

“Takumi!” Kamui called again.

Her warm hand grasped his cold one and pulled him back to reality. He instinctively inhaled with a sob and tried to catch his breath. After a moment, he noticed that there was an absence of pain and that he didn’t feel exhausted. Whatever pain he was feeling was only implied.

Kamui’s fingers brushed through his silver locks and she hummed soothingly. He wanted to pull away from her embrace; it was her fault that he was like this in the first place. But, when he met her eyes he saw only guilt and sorrow. She was aware of what she had caused. Kamui didn’t blame anyone but herself for his suffering.

She wanted to tell him that everything was going to be okay but her mouth remained closed.

Forgiveness and trust were not earned with empty words.

“Come here.” She tugged his arm and moved towards her vanity.

Takumi looked down at the floor, his feet were no longer touching the ground. He was floating along behind his sister. It served only as a reminder that he was too far gone to ever reassemble the shards of his life. Kamui grasped his shoulders and propped him down into her seat.

“What are you doing?” Takumi asked quietly.

“You’ll see.” Kamui’s mouth lifted slightly into a smile but it didn’t put his heart at ease.

She reached for her brush and began to run its bristles through his hair. Takumi still couldn’t see himself in the mirror; the only image he saw was Kamui brushing the air. But the way that she slowly rushed the tool through every strand made his shoulders relax. Her voice hummed softly, a lullaby that she barely remembered from her childhood in Hoshido.

He could recall a time when he was just a toddler, and how his precious Big Sister would always brush his hair before he went to bed. She used to hum Mommy Mikoto’s song and brush out any tangles in his nappy head. Her tiny hands would gently and deliberately move the wooden comb through his locks. Takumi always refused to go to sleep before Kammy came to visit him. When Kammy had been kidnapped and Papa Sumeragi had died, the only thing he could recall was that he cried himself to sleep every night.

Kamui reached down into her vanity’s drawer, with Takumi watching her expression closely in the mirror. Her tongue caught momentarily between her fangs before her ruby irises widened slightly. She put her fingers over his eyes and corrected her position.

“Hey, why can’t I watch?” Takumi muttered.

“Because I’m trying to do something for you.”

“Hmph,” He pouted.

He could feel his hair being lifted and pulled, into what he assumed was a ponytail. He hadn’t bothered putting his hair back up, there was no point in appearances when he was stuck wearing what he had died in. Whatever image his soul reflected was just based on the memories he had of himself.

Kamui continued to hum as she styled his hair; she was trying to comfort him by reminding him of what they once had. It didn’t relieve the weight on his heart fully, but it did help him feel a bit more at ease.

“There you go.” She pulled her hands back and put them on his shoulders.

“I don’t have a reflection,” He stated.

“Look again.” Kamui bent over and whispered into his ear.

Takumi scoffed at her insistence, there was no reason to be reminded even more of who he truly was. A mere reflection of a forgotten prince who never earned his title or his life’s keep. He lifted his amber gaze from his lap and met the expectant glass with disdain.

The smooth surface did not judge, it only displayed reality.

Kamui’s body was awash in enlightening shades of navy blue and peach, the opposite colors never touched but they greeted each other with a polite dance of melancholy. Her bright ruby eyes glowed under the peach glow of her face. The white locks of her hair became starlight under the heaviness of the blue in the air.

He saw his reflection staring back at him, faint, and a bit transparent, but there nonetheless. His image absorbed the colors that Kamui produced, the soft purple shade racing through his silver hair and down his arms to the pulse of her heartbeat.

“There, isn’t that better?” Kamui’s reflection asked.

Takumi didn’t answer, he knew that she was talking about his restyled hair but he could only watch the colors racing down his arms. Her eyes followed the delicate patterns that the shades formed. It was a sight that only the two of them could watch, and the tension in his gut softened. He was the only one who could accept the gift of her vitality. Nobody else could ever receive such a gift; it was something for him alone from his lost Big Sister.

“You found my ribbon,” He whispered. His fingers reached towards the red satin holding his hair back.

“Yeah. Now you look more like you.” Kamui smiled.

She did not mention the truth behind her words. Having the memories was enough.

“You held onto it,” He stated.

“I wanted to hold onto a reminder.” She met his fingers with her own and watched the shades cycle through their hands.

Takumi stood from his seat and firmly held Kamui’s hand close to his hair. He turned towards her and maneuvered her hand to rest on his shoulder. The tugging in his gut had ceased when their skin touched. Her flesh felt warm and soothing under the cold of his ethereal palm.

“Thank you, for keeping it,” He said sincerely.

Kamui’s smile faltered and she pulled her hand away. The tugging in Takumi’s gut started to gnaw at his heart and he groaned in distaste.

“Please don’t thank me,” Kamui whispered.

Takumi glanced at his feet, he was floating in midair once again and Kamui had left him standing there like an idiot. He stared up at his sister and grunted in irritation, he couldn’t exactly move in this state when he was so used to walking on solid ground. Kamui watched his helplessness, her questioning expression just made his irritation worse.

“I could use some help here,” Takumi deadpanned.

“Why are you floating in the first place?” Kamui asked.

“Because obviously, I’m tired of walking," He quipped.

Kamui offered her hands to her little brother, when his frigid skin touched hers the colors began to race up his arms and the cold seeped into her fingertips. She could feel the immense relief that the cold brought. Nausea that had followed her the last couple of days had given way to peace and comfort when she held his hands.

“Okay, now just follow me,” She encouraged as she took a step back.

Takumi kept a hold on her hands as her body pulled in the opposite direction. He couldn’t just take a step because there was nothing for his foot to meet. Instead, he leaned forward slightly and thought of the weightlessness that kept him in the air. Kamui wrapped her fingers around his wrists and tugged him forward. He focused on the idea of moving and he heard Kamui giving words of encouragement.

“That’s it. Nice and easy,” She said softly.

If he had blood his cheeks would have brightened with the humiliating situation. She was guiding him like a child who was taking their first steps. Except in Takumi’s case, he was trying to accomplish something more akin to swimming. He watched as he floated forwards as Kamui moved back. Her encouragement kept his tender mind focused on the task and soon the weightlessness became natural. Kamui let go of his hands, and the colors disappeared from their skin.

“Hey, you’re doing it,” Kamui smiled.

Takumi glanced down momentarily before moving towards her bed and sitting upon the velvet covers. Usually, he would boast about proving himself, but floating didn’t hold the same meaning. Kamui was the only one who could see him do it, and even with her attention, it didn’t matter. Floating and phasing through objects was only possible because his body was water in the atmosphere now.

Kamui sat beside the ghost of her brother and resumed brushing out her hair. She stared at the stone ceiling and settled into the silence that surrounded them.

“When are you leaving with your siblings,” He asked.

“Here in a little bit,” Kamui replied.

She heard it in his tone, Takumi was jealous of the bond that she had with Nohrian siblings. After spending over three-fourths of her life in the dark country it was no surprise that she felt more kinship with them than with her own blood-related family. Kamui folded her hair behind her ears and repositioned her headband. She tossed the brush back onto the vanity and slipped behind her dressing screen. Ever since the war ended she refused to wear her royal armor, instead she opted for a simple pair of black pants and a tunic.

“If I hadn’t been so rejecting of you then you wouldn’t have chosen Nohr,” Takumi muttered.

Kamui paused in pulling the tunic over her head; she gazed at the dark fabric in her hands and bit the inside of her cheek. He didn’t understand that even if he had been nicer to her that she would have still chosen the family that she had known. If Takumi had accepted her as the other Hoshidan siblings had then it would have just broken his heart further to see his big sister turn her back on them.

She came around the screen to see Takumi floating near her and watching her with unadulterated intensity. His mouth was pulled into a thin line, and without his bangs in his eyes, she could see the burning question he wanted to ask. She straightened her pants and smoothed out her tunic before facing her dead brother.

“It wouldn’t have mattered if you had been nicer to me. I hardly knew you,” She stated.

Takumi flinched from her blunt words and he folded his arms across his chest in frustration.

“You need to stop blaming yourself for my choice Takumi.” Kamui caught his attention by putting her hand on his shoulder.

“I tried to kill you on more than one occasion,” He said calmly.

“I know. But I never said your revenge was not without purpose.”

Kamui swallowed back the tears that wanted to form and kept her expression flat. She ignored the burning sensation in her skin as she picked up the Grim Yato from its resting place on her mantle. She strapped the sacred blade to her side and took in a steady breath. Now was not the time to cry, she was going to keep up her appearances as the noble Princess of Nohr who had saved her kingdom.

The same princess who let a peaceful kingdom burn just to keep her family happy.

As Kamui made her way towards the doors her sensitive ears caught a whisper.

“Sister, are you saying you would have chosen them over us even if you had kept your memories?”

Kamui turned her head stiffly and stared at the ghostly apparition of her brother.

“I chose them because I wanted to keep them happy. You were already happy without me in Hoshido.”

She closed the door and left Takumi to float in the middle of her room. The former prince of Hoshido let his shoulders sag before falling back onto her mattress. He stared up at the ceiling before turning on his side and pulling his hands through his ponytail. He couldn’t understand why someone would choose their kidnappers over the family that had loved and cried for them.

“I’m sorry Sister. But you made the wrong choice. They are Scum,” He whispered before closing his eyes and failed to fall asleep.

Kamui sat against the wooden doors, her back to her room and her hand gripping the Grim Yato like a security blanket. Her eyes stared blankly ahead as she listened to Takumi’s words. Her heart was breaking at the way that he considered her siblings scum, and at the way that she felt elated on what he had said.

He had called her siblings scum, and had left her out of it.

“You are wrong Takumi. My siblings aren’t scum,” She spoke to the door.

As the Nohrian princess walked through the halls she gripped at the Grim Yato with as much strength as she could muster. Maybe if she tried hard enough she could crack the accursed blade that had chosen her to be the savior of the war. It was like being half dragon and being the princess of two families didn’t make her special enough. Oh no, the sacred sword that was meant to unite both kingdoms chose her of all people to wield it. All it did was bring her misery for all the times she had to be reminded that she was chosen.

“I’m scum,” She whispered as she waved at Camilla and Elise who were waiting with their retainers to take her outside of the castle.

“Big Sister!” Elise smiled as she waved energetically from her place from the castle entrance.

At least for her siblings she would smile. Even if inside she knew that eventually, she would ruin this family just as she had ruined Takumi’s.


	4. Chapter 4: Mikoto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is Chapter 4. The plot is finally ready to get a move on! It’s also time to introduce a new character that’s going to remain important through out the rest of the story. This is the first Takumi centric chapter, which means Kamui, and the Nohrian siblings won’t appear until next chapter.
> 
> Time to get the plot moving!
> 
> Some spoilers for Revelations appear in this chapter. They are faint but you have been warned.

Takumi kept his head buried in the pillows as he heard the castle doors creak shut.

The ghost pulled his knees up to his chest and kept his eyes closed trying his best to ignore the tugging sensation that started with Kamui’s absence. He sighed into the fabric and tried to find the embrace of sleep. Even though he couldn’t fall asleep entirely, he found that with some focus he could enter a light doze.

Oddly there were no nightmares to greet him, he was so used to writhing in the sheets and screaming out in the midst of his terrors. His mind was empty; he didn’t feel any pain or the dark emotions that plagued him when he was alive. The silence of the room didn’t press on him; it embraced him in its warmth and encouraged him to rest.

Even with the quiet background and the lack of pain, Takumi could not claim to feel at peace. He couldn’t help but compare the Nohrian settings to the Hoshidan capital he grew up in. He imagined the cherry blossom petals that Sakura was named after fluttering in the spring air. He could see the vendors setting up their stalls in the capital square, and he could smell the fresh baked potatoes that Hoshido was known for.

“Takumi.” Someone was speaking his name, and it wasn’t Kamui.

The ghost furrowed his brow and buried his head deeper into the pillow beneath his head. There was no one else who could see him, and Kamui hadn’t returned from her picnic with her Nohrian siblings yet. His memories of Hoshido continued to paint a convincing image in his mind’s eye. He thought he could feel faint warmth upon his face, and the fragrance of Nohrian spices was starting to wash out.

“Takumi, please look at me.” It was definitely a woman’s voice talking to him that much he could tell.

The former prince of Hoshido groaned as he tried to keep a hand on reality. This wouldn’t be the first time his memories played a trick on him. Ever since the war had started he had been severely reminiscent of the home that had been lost. He had coped with the pressure of leading a division of the Hoshidan army by repressing his emotions. He refused to show his insecurities in public even to his own siblings and he didn’t cry like he so badly wanted to when his mother died.

Out of everything that had been taken from him, Takumi knew that his heart had first shattered with Mikoto’s death.

“Takumi, my sweetheart. Please look at me.”

There was only one person who called him Sweetheart. If he had a heart it would have jumped up into his throat.

Takumi discarded his attempt at trying to keep himself weighed in reality. His eyes flew open and the sight that spread out before him reached deep into his tender soul. For a moment, he thought he felt the familiar burning of water behind his eyes.

He was standing in the empty capital square of Hoshido.

The dark Castle Krakenburg was gone, and his childhood home of Castle Shirasagi stood at his back. Cherry blossom petals danced in the sweet-smelling breeze, and he could see the expansive blue sky above him. Empty vendor stalls stood with fresh food on their shelves, and the square remained undamaged from the explosion that had taken Mikoto away.

He was home.

“Takumi.” And the person that he had missed the most was here.

The ghostly prince turned his head around as fast as his non-existent bones would allow him. His silver hair whipped around and hit the small of his back as his amber irises widened. The late Queen Mikoto stood before the Dawn Dragon statue in the middle of the square. Her hands were folded gracefully in her lap as they always were and she wore the warmest smile that he had sorely missed.

“M-mother.” Takumi’s voice stuck in his throat, he could barely move his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

“Hello my child.” Mikoto smiled as she took a step closer.

The raven-haired Queen put her delicate hands against his back and pulled him forward. She leaned her head against his chest and let out a small sigh. Takumi couldn’t move, his body had grown heavy and slow.

If this was a dream, he didn’t want it to return to Nohr.

Queen Mikoto rubbed her hand against his back in the soothing way that only she could provide. Takumi’s mind went back to the times when he was a child, and how he would cry in his mother’s arms. His anger and insecurities over not being as good as his siblings had started at a very young age. His mother had always seen him for who he was, she never compared him to his older siblings like the other nobles did. She was always there to provide a shoulder for his hidden tears, and to stroke his hair when he was sick as he commonly was as a child.

“I’m here Takumi,” Mikoto soothed his anxious thoughts with her fingers stroking the back of his head.

Takumi buried his forehead into the small of her shoulder, he may have been taller than her but he didn’t care. His fingers flew up into the back of her cape and gripped onto the fabric as tightly as a hawk does with its prey. He could feel the tears growing stronger against the back of his eyes.

“Let it out sweetheart,” Mikoto encouraged.

Takumi weakly shook his head, he couldn’t bear to cry in front of his mother. He wasn’t a child anymore, and he was stronger than this.

He could feel the vibration of the queen’s throat as she clucked in concern. The fingers in his hair stopped moving and situated themselves on his shoulders. Takumi silently begged to not be pushed away; there was no way he could bear to be separated from his mother so soon. Mikoto did not pull away as he feared; instead, she pulled him closer to her chest and started to guide him through the square.

Soon her warm embrace disappeared, and Takumi could feel the panic starting to build in his chest. Before he could lose his breath, his mother set her hands upon his shoulders and sat him down on a stone bench. She swiftly took the position next to him and wrapped her arms around his torso again.

“It's alright, nobody can see you,” Mikoto whispered.

Takumi put his head against the collar of her cape, and he let go of his emotional control. The tears fell immediately, the burning sensation replaced by soothing and sorrowful relief. His shoulders shook and he quietly let out a creaky sob into the fabric of Mikoto’s dress. If she felt his cold tears, she didn’t comment and instead resumed stroking his hair.

The knot in the back of his throat unwound, and the loosened sounds of wet sobs drifted from his mouth. He shuddered at the power of his sadness and how his bruised heart softened at finally letting go of the burden. Mikoto hummed and placed her chin on top of his silver crown. She didn’t speak during the long minutes of her youngest son’s whimpers; he needed to be emotionally steady for her to accomplish what she needed to. As her hums drifted into the fragrant air, Takumi was unaware of the emptiness and shallow shadows that danced in the queen’s chocolate eyes.

“M-mother,” Takumi whispered.

“Yes my son?”

“I-I’m sorry,” He whimpered as he clung tighter.

Mikoto lifted his chin with her fingers and brushed one of his long sideburns behind his ear.

“Why are you apologizing?”

Takumi pulled away from her hands, he sorely missed the warmth she emanated but he couldn’t bear to face her.

“I couldn’t save you,” He whispered as he turned away.

He could still see his mother being pierced by the purple fragments of Kamui’s sword. The woman that had raised and loved him gave her life to a girl who couldn’t even remember how much she had scarred her mother. Kamui couldn’t even relate to the sun that had been his guidance since he could remember. And now his mother was dead and Kamui had become the moon that blocked out the sun.

“It wasn’t your fault. And it wasn’t Kamui’s fault,” Mikoto’s soft tone hardened.

Takumi stared at his mother, when she was mad she made it a point to be sharp and tactful. She hardly ever got mad at her children, and the knowledge that her anger was directed at him made him flinch. Her brow furrowed slightly in a slope and she gripped the base of his chin with two fingers.

“You need to stop letting your anger cloud your mind,” She stated.

Takumi glanced down at his hands; they were clenching his pants with dire strength. That wasn’t what startled the prince into pulling away from his mother completely and jolting up.

It was the purple miasma that clung to his arms.

“Takumi, even though your soul is free. The dark powers that claimed you still hibernate in you.” Mikoto stood up and folded her hands in front of her chest.

Her chocolate eyes hardened as she watched the ghostly prince try in vain to put out the flames that clung to his clothes. Now was not the time to baby him, he had to learn to accept the reality that he had a part in forming.

“How?! Kamui did as I requested!” Takumi’s voice was struggling to keep from cracking under the panic.

“Its because you haven’t forgiven yourself or her.” Mikoto’s words caused the prince to pause in his panic.

He glanced up at his mother; she was focused on the flames that danced up his sleeves.

“How do I stop it?!” He yelled.

Mikoto started to chant a prayer in a language that Takumi couldn’t understand. It wasn’t a Hoshidan incantation and she didn’t possess the signature accent of Nohrians. But whatever words she spoke under her breath resonated with his soul. Even with the consuming miasma climbing his body, he could feel the boiling anxiety smoothing out. His tears started to slow and he stopped grinding his teeth in worry. An unusual sense of calm claimed him.

With the sensation of serenity came the ability to understand the words that his mother spoke.

“Sing with me a song of birthrights and love,” Mikoto chanted as she let her folded hands hang in front of her body.

“The light scatters to the sky above.” A brilliant white light gathered in her palms as she chanted the next stanza.

Takumi fought the sensation to shield his eyes from the light. He would not bring his burning arm up towards his face. Instead, he turned his head away and cringed.

“Dawn breaks through the gloom,” Mikoto’s chanting grew louder as the light grew brighter. It started to sparkle with the rays of the sun and the colors of a prism. The brilliant yellows and blues collecting together in the middle.

Takumi felt the purple mist try to claw into his skin; he shook his arms frantically and yelled in pain.

“White as a bone,” Mikoto continued with all of her focus on the energy forming in her hands. She lifted one hand and bent the energy back into a very familiar shape to Takumi’s archer mind.

“Lost in thoughts all alone,” Mikoto whispered the last stanza before grasping the golden bow. The brilliant white wings around the middle of the shaft shed dozens of feathers before folding back.

The Fujin Yumi had been summoned by her magic.

Takumi’s eyes widened, he hadn’t seen his divine weapon since he had jumped from the Great Wall. Even now as he tried to think back, he couldn’t remember why he had jumped instead of trying to take Kamui out. He remembered how he wanted to shoot her at point blank because she was so close. But he couldn’t recall ever moving his body to fall from the perch he had claimed in his desperate bid to escape.

“This had fallen from your hands when you lost your body,” Mikoto spoke as she stepped closer.

Takumi took a step back; he didn’t want to hurt his mother. The purple mist stopped its pursuit of his body. He could hear a feral growl in the back of his skull, and the pain it emitted in his temples was the worst he had felt since his death.

It was the source of his headaches.

“The being who claimed you could not use your weapon. So it discarded it.” Mikoto did not stop her pursuit until she stopped in front of her son and watched as he writhed in agony.

“The divine weapons of Hoshido and Nohr were formed to counteract its influence and power,” Mikoto spoke as she grabbed Takumi’s hand.

“Mother let me go!” Takumi tried to wrestle his hand out of her grip. The purple miasma was starting to climb up her arm.

Mikoto pulled the Fujin Yumi into its chosen master’s fingers and encouraged Takumi to grip the base. When his flesh touched the golden wood, the miasma froze, and the growl in Takumi’s head turned into a massive roar. He let out a terrified scream and gripped harder upon his beloved yumi.

The pain and the roar stopped.

Takumi’s amber orbs fluttered open hesitantly, the purple fire and mist were gone. And he was left gripping onto his weapon and holding his mother’s warm hand.

“It can’t touch you when you still hold your weapon. It only took complete control when you rejected the Yumi.” Mikoto smiled as she patted his wrist.

“Mother, how do you know what happened?” Takumi tried to clear his throat; it was left raw from his screams.

“I was watching you the entire time.” Mikoto’s smile saddened at the corners.

Takumi couldn’t meet his mother’s eyes; she had seen every action he had taken since her passing. He couldn’t imagine the strain he put on their relationship with the words of hatred he spoke towards Kamui. Or how he had refused Ryoma’s orders and had risked the security of Cheve for his simplistic revenge. She had seen every arrow that he had shot, every curse he had placed and every tear that had fallen from his face.

But her expression didn’t change.

“Takumi, you must learn to let go of your self-hatred,” Mikoto said.

“How can I? I messed up.” Takumi couldn’t express how deep his anger and self-insecurities went.

“Life isn’t centered on your accomplishments or your mistakes.”

Mikoto put her hand on his forehead and brushed back his bangs.

“It’s about growing from those actions.” Mikoto kissed his forehead. Her lips left a warm buzz on his skin. It soothed the remnants of his pain like healing herbs upon a burn.

Takumi glanced down at his weapon, the yumi buzzed with the same energy as it always did when he held it. He could feel the whispers of the wind in his ears and he could smell the scent of pine needles. Divine weapons are believed to have a rudimentary consciousness of their own; they recognized their chosen wielder and only displayed their true power in their master’s hands. 

Even with his death the Fujin Yumi still saw him as its only wielder.

“You need to learn to forgive yourself Takumi,” Mikoto said.

The former prince of Hoshido glanced up at his mother; her eyes were focused entirely on him. Usually, he would feel immense joy at having her entire attention, but the seriousness of the situation reminded him that she had more to say.

“The evil presence may not have sway over you now. But with time it may grow strong once again.”

“But I’m dead! I don’t have a body for it to control!” Takumi protested.

“This influence has the ability to possess even the dead.” Mikoto closed her eyes and caught her breath in her chest.

“Then is there nothing I can do?..” Takumi kept his voice steady. The idea of being controlled like a marionette did not sit well with him. He had to stop it from occurring.

“You need to forgive yourself and Kamui,” Mikoto stated.

“That’s easier said than done Mother,” Takumi scoffed.

Takumi had found it increasingly easy to be around Kamui. Originally it was only because she kept him from feeling completely lonely. But over time, her calm attitude and an occasional smile drew him in. She didn’t judge him or hate him for his accusations because she knew that they were all true. The two of them learned to bond through their unstable emotions and similar pain, but he couldn’t say that he had given any thought towards forgiveness.

“You lied to Kamui to convince her to kill Garon,” Mikoto reminded him.

“She wouldn’t have gathered the strength otherwise,” Takumi retorted.

“And because of that, you were prevented entry into the afterlife.”

Mikoto flicked his forehead with her nails. Takumi sputtered and rubbed at the spot between his eyebrows. His incredulous expression and furrowed brow made Mikoto laugh. Her laughter died after a moment and she focused on him again.

“Takumi, if you don’t learn to forgive you will never move on.”

“Maybe that isn’t such a bad thing,” Takumi murmured as he cradled the Fujin Yumi underneath his forearm.

He really didn’t understand what was so alluring about the afterlife. The grassy plains and indigo skies he remembered were a lot less interesting than his Hoshido. It had felt so empty when he had woken up there. Even if he couldn’t interact with the people that once dwelled in his life, he preferred the bustling streets and loud crowds to such silence.

“And what will you do when Hinoka passes? Or Sakura?” Mikoto asked.

The ghost prince turned his attention back to his mother, her questions were plain but they stung. He lacked the ability to move on, and one day his sisters would rejoin Mikoto and Ryoma in the next world. Even Kamui’s dragon blood wouldn’t keep death away from her forever. One day she would leave him too and he would be back to wandering the world in washed out monochrome.

“You and Kamui need to let the past fall. Only then will you be able to return to our side,” Mikoto said calmly.

The cherry blossom petals in the sky froze in their dance, and the sweet-smelling air turned flat. Takumi glanced up at the sky; the clouds that dotted the horizon were stuck in midair. He couldn’t smell the potatoes anymore, and when he glanced at Mikoto he saw her body slowly dissipating.

She was turning into water that would join the skies.

“Mother!” Takumi yelled as he reached for her.

His hand passed through her warm skin.

“You must move away from your pain.” She smiled.

Takumi shook his head vehemently; he had just found her again. He couldn’t watch his mother disappear!

“What if the presence tries to take me again?!” He screamed. 

“Keep the Fujin Yumi near you. It will protect you,” Mikoto reassured.

The water increased in volume, her cape and dress started to scatter into fragments and her hair fluttered in the unseen whirlwind. Mikoto’s expression didn’t change; she kept her smile and didn’t show her pain.

“What if I can’t let go?! I don’t want to be alone!” Takumi let go of his pride for a moment and admitted his greatest fear. His mother was the only one who gave him the confidence to admit it readily

“I know you can do it Takumi.” Mikoto reached for his head and stroked back his bangs before disappearing into a flurry of bubbles. 

“You are stronger than you know Sweetheart.”

Takumi jolted awake, his throat let out a rasp that was caught between a scream and a gasp. With no lungs to speak of the air just fizzled outward from his lips. He was back in Kamui’s room, the pillows beneath his body wet with his tears.

Hoshido was gone, and the impressive stonework of Castle Krankenburg pressed down on him.

“Mother.” Takumi whispered. He glanced down at his lap where the Fujin Yumi glowed softly. It’s solid wood warmed under his touch as if the weapon was trying to comfort him.

It hadn’t been a dream.

The former prince of Hoshido fell back against the black covers with a small thump. His silver ponytail dangled from the bed and his weapon fell to rest on his chest. He let his hands dangle over the sides of the mattress as he fought off another round of tears.

“I don’t know if I can do it, Mother,” He whimpered.

The memory of the purple miasma and the violent roar that had tried to tear itself from his skull was still fresh. He didn’t want to lose control again. But bonding with Kamui and pardoning her was going to be difficult.

But for Mikoto, he was willing to give it a shot.

He lifted the Fujin Yumi from his stomach and sat up. He braced his arms back in the familiar pose and summoned the faint energy that responded to his touch. The air was fresh with the smell of pine needles, and his clothing was dyed in a brilliant blue. The comforting touch of the air turned sharp as an arrow formed to point in the direction that he was facing.

“If it means being with you again, then I’m willing to try,” He vowed as he let the arrow fly.

The arrow flew through the air and hit the wooden post near the door, the blue light let loose a flurry of feathers before fading.

The Fujin Yumi would protect him from the dark emotion that he knew still existed beneath the surface. He would not allow the evil presence to turn him into its slave again. He would fight it in the only way he could with all of his soul.

“I’ll speak to Kamui about this.” He gave a single nod before looping the Fujin Yumi onto his back using the strap that formed from the bow’s light.

Until he could move on, the divine weapon was not going to leave his sight again. His mother had given it back as a sign of her trust and knowledge of his true strength. Takumi may have let his siblings and soldiers down once before. But he wasn’t going to disappoint Mikoto.

He would earn his way into the afterlife to see her smile again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have a head canon about Mikoto. If you have knowledge of Revelations then you know why she was chanting the lyrics of Azura's song. It was only mentioned in a single line about her true heritage but I got to thinking. 
> 
> Even though Mikoto is not a Singer because she is from the same family she must have known about the song.
> 
> And because she is a priestess she can chant incantations like a real Shinto priestess can. 
> 
> So maybe she can't sing the song like Azura can, but she can use the words to counteract the "Evil Presence" with the same words but not as strongly.


	5. Chapter 5: Forgotten Princess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Time for Chapter 5. The plot has already been introduced and its time to add another important character. I don’t know how many chapters this fanfiction is going to have but I promise that the ending wont end the way that you expect :)
> 
> Conquest Endgame Spoiler Warning!
> 
> Note: The plot has changed slightly from how I originally planned. Certain details from the game will be altered from this point forward to fit the plot and the AU. If the characters or plot elements seem out of place then I apologize.

“And when we are done eating I can show you how to skip stones!” Elise’s chipper voice was the only thing that filled the silence amongst the Nohrian siblings.

The 5 siblings rode casually in the outskirts of Windmire, their retainers remained in the back as the family tried to maintain at least a picture of relative peace. Even Camilla chose to ride an elegant black horse instead of her zombie wyvern to maintain the lie.

Kamui kept her eyes on the road while her hands loosely held the reins of her steed. She didn’t feel peaceful, but she could at least play along to help her siblings out. It was the right thing to do after all.

“I can’t wait until you see the roses Kamui! They are so beautiful this season!” Elise smiled as she trotted alongside the dragon princess.

“I doubt they are as pretty as you’ve become Elise.” Kamui lifted the corners of her mouth.

Elise’s smile was bright and she moved in her saddle to lean her hand against Kamui’s shoulder. Her younger sister always brightened Kamui’s mood and her worn heart warmed inside her chest. Elise was too pure for the cruel country, and the dragon princess hoped that she would never lose that purity.

At least she could protect one of her baby sisters in this life.

“Must you always proceed with such mushy commentary?” Leo quipped as he rode up slowly on the opposite side.

“Back off Leo! Kamui wasn’t being mushy!” Elise whined.

The younger blonde prince had only returned to Windmire that day after being gone for the last few weeks. He had recently become the Emissary between Hoshido and Nohr and served as Xander’s right-hand man in all diplomatic matters. It was a heavy duty, but Leo took great pride in his new position. It gave him the recognition he needed to step out of his older siblings’ shadows. In a way his pride reminded Kamui of Takumi, seeing as both young men were stubborn and highly insecure.

Kamui could see his silver hair draped over his shoulders, the sunlight passing through his skin.

“I don’t see any point in stating the obvious is all.” Leo sniffed.

“Oh, then you also admit that Elise is pretty?” Kamui asked. 

Leo’s face reddened and he huffed into his collar before turning his head away from his sisters’ prying eyes. Kamui gave a small giggle before lifting a pale finger at the fabric.

“Um, Leo your collar is inside out again.”

“DAMN IT!” Leo exclaimed as he attempted futilely to fix his embarrassment.

The younger prince fought with his collar and his horse gave a whinny in distaste. Elise glanced back as she continued to trot alongside Kamui, it didn’t take much to fluster Leo. Even with all of his intelligence and huffiness, the blonde prince failed to keep his cool when it came to everyday life situations.

“Leo, if you continue to fidget like that your horse is going to buck!” Elise warned.

The dark knight kept his gauntleted hand wrapped around the reigns, his other hand gripping at the high-end fabric that covered his neck. His horse gave another dissatisfied snort and stomped its hoof against the gravel.

“Leo darling messing with it now won’t do you any good,” Camilla cooed.

The elder woman fell into step beside her younger brother and slapped his hands away. Her body leaned to the side and her hands folded his collar expertly. An older sister helping her sibling would not be something new if it wasn’t for what Camilla accomplished while fussing over Leo.

She was riding sidesaddle.

“I know the idea of going on a picnic is exciting but you shouldn’t be so careless with your appearance,” Camilla chided.

“Hmph.” Leo’s cheeks dusted pink.

Kamui sighed through her nose and refocused her gaze on the grey horizon. Leo’s abrasive nature hid a softer core that he refused to display. When they were younger, her brother was a gentle soul who kept to himself and his books. He never spoke unless spoken to and he refused to open up to anybody. It was only with his older siblings that he showed even an ounce of normal emotion.

He was the opposite of a blurry little boy that darted about in her vague memory. A small boy who always followed her around, and dragged his favorite doll between his grubby fingers.

“Kamui, stop by those trees over there,” Camilla signaled her. 

The group congregated underneath the canopy of a group of spindly trees. The bark was dark as ebony, and the dry branches reached for the sky as if trying to rend it in half. Kamui jumped off the back of her horse, her boots erupting the dusty dirt from its resting place on the ground. She tied the reigns of her steed to a tree and petted his mane as she waited for the others.

She gripped the base of the Grim Yato that sat against her waist. An involuntary habit that stuttered her heart whenever she came into contact with the leather pommel. Even with the golden sword in its resting state, the sacred relic burned her whenever she tried to wield it.

“Lady Kamui.” A soft voice spoke from the tree looming over her head.

The dragon princess didn’t flinch as her carmine eyes flickered upwards. A young man that matched the echo of fresh leaves peered at her from his perch. His soft eyes gazed at her with faint concern.

“Kaze,” She spoke softly as her fingers tangled into the mane of her steed.

The green haired ninja flipped and landed gracefully in the dry grass beside her. He kept his head bowed and his face hidden by his scarf, it was often interpreted as a sign of respect towards royalty when a retainer approached them. But, Kamui’s limited of Hoshido told the true meaning behind the gesture. When a retainer doesn’t meet the eyes of their master, they are putting distance in their bond.

It meant that the retainer held no trust in their master.

“My lady, Lady Camilla informed me to tell you that she is going to set up the picnic at the edge of the lake. She asks that you remain here until she returns.”

Kamui nodded silently. Her sister was trying her hardest to make her feel welcome. She had to at least attempt to be happy about spending time with her family.

“Alright,” She whispered.

Kaze straightened stiffly; he often disappeared after accomplishing his immediate duties. But, today the green ninja remained in front of the dragon princess with his eyes staring daggers into the dirt.

Kamui sighed between her fangs and turned her head sharply turned towards the silver water that glittered in the distance.

“Kaze, if you have something to express then say it.”

“I have nothing to say Lady Kamui.”

“I didn’t say it was a choice,” She huffed.

Kamui marched up to the taller man and gripped his chin with her pale fingers. He flinched underneath her sharp nails and her forceful strength. She lifted his chin and forced him to look into her ruby depths.

“I am giving you an order,” Kamui said.

She put her palm against his flesh and soothed the red line that her nails had created. The green ninja didn’t show any sign of expression, but his shoulders relaxed under the command.

“I heard you talking to yourself earlier,” He said softly.

Kamui’s heart dropped into the pit of her stomach, the ninja had been listening in on her conversations with Takumi. Kaze was notorious for disappearing in midair and only making his presence known when he had a duty to perform.

“It’s a habit I’ve had since I was small,” She stated.

“Is it normal for you to have entire conversations with your imaginary brother?” Kaze asked.

She saw the way that his mouth formed into a thin line, and the shades of distaste that overcame his hazel irises. Of course, he would be against her expressing any sort of sorrow towards Takumi. His birthplace resided in Hoshidan territory, and there was a high chance that he no longer had a home to return to.

Obviously a Nohrian playing pretend with the corpse of his Second Prince would be seen as a sign of mockery.

“Yes. Because he isn’t the only one that I’ve talked to,” Kamui said calmly.

Shadows of her imaginary friends, of her non-existent mother, and the father that she desperately wanted to love remained buried in her chest. At one point, she reminisced, at one point there had been a time when she convinced herself that all of her pretend games would come true.

“I used to hold conversations with my mother and father.”

“You mean Garon?” Kaze’s voice lifted slightly in disgust.

“No.” Kamui’s platinum hair fell along her shoulders with a shake.

She knelt on the ground and fingered the grass; the blades clung to her skin like ink blots on paper. She blew the blades away from her palm with a delicate breath and wiped the dirt off on her tunic.

“I used to fantasize about having a real family. One where I could go outside and have my parents holding me close.”

She motioned for Kaze to kneel beside her; the ninja hesitated before slowly resting on his haunches.

“I used to hold imaginary conversations with my mother brushing my hair or my father teaching me about the history of our kingdom.”

Kamui picked a solitary flower that grew in the shade of the tree. It was a minuscule thing with tiny petals and a pathetic stem. She held it between her forefinger and thumb with delicate ease.

“However, my parents never had a face. They were formless, shapeless, blank.”

She twirled the flower in a semi-circle, the petals were pale and washed out. Roses were the only flower that grew in abundance in Nohr; they were robust plants that could survive without extensive sunlight. The one she held in her palm was nothing more than a weed in comparison.

“But like this flower here, I learned to survive in my own way.” She said fondly.

She glanced up at Kaze; he was focused entirely on the flower in her hand.

“In a way, holding conversations with the fake and the dead kept me happy.”

Kamui delicately tilted Kaze’s head to the side with her opposite hand. The ninja furrowed his brow and watched her warily. As her retainer, he had no right to protest, even though the contact was highly uncomfortable.

“Talking to Takumi helps me feel closer to him," She said simply.

She tucked back a lock of his green hair and placed the flower against his ear.

“Just like how this flower feels closer to the earth by being small.”

“My lady…” She could tell that Kaze was struggling with his words.

“You don’t need to stay,” She whispered.

The dragon princess stood from her position and dusted off her tunic. She straightened the Grim Yato in its holster and pulled back her shoulders. She kept her expression serious and waited for the ninja to speak. In response, Kaze bowed on one knee and gazed up at her.

“I want to stay,” He replied.

“You don’t owe me anything," Kamui denied.

“I know.” Kaze stood up and crossed his arms firmly.

She knew that she should be lucky enough to have a retainer as loyal as Kaze, but his rigid beliefs worried her. He originally stayed because he owed her a life debt. Even with all of the atrocities that she committed during the Nohrian War he stayed. His brother Saizo had tried to return him home. But the red ninja had fallen at the hands of his twin, who had insisted adamantly at taking his own kin out. 

He stayed because he had nowhere else to go.

“No,” Kamui stated.

The ninja’s brows shot up worriedly and his expression grew into one of shock. Kamui hardly ever saw genuine emotion on the ninja’s face but she stood her ground. There was no way she could honestly accept his offer to stay with how much pain he had endured.

“I can’t accept your offer. You are hereby dismissed as my retainer.” She fought to keep her voice under control.

“That isn’t your choice Lady Kamui,” He retorted.

“What?” Kamui’s voice dropped.

“Royal family members choose their retainers that is true. But I have never been officially recognized as your retainer. You already had Jakob, Felicia, and Flora.”

“Yes? But, you swore your loyalty to me.”

“I did. To you. Everybody else here just sees me as an ally of yours and a traitor to Hoshido.” Kaze’s eyes darkened at the statement, but he kept his tone even.

“I told you that you could leave,” Kamui stated.

“I know. However, because I am not an official retainer of the royal Nohrian family you can’t fire me.”

Kamui’s mouth hung open at Kaze’s logical statement. She tried to think of a way to rebut his claims but nothing came to mind. Kaze was watching her with a satisfied smirk; the dragon princess had been outwitted.

“I am staying Lady Kamui. I’ll be here,” Kaze spoke with finality before disappearing in a cloud of dust.

Kamui ran a hand through her platinum bangs and leaned against the side of her horse. The animal snorted and pawed at the dirt, its snout nuzzled the edge of Kamui’s leggings looking for a treat. She patted its nose and reached into her pocket, a small sugar cube sat between her fingers and she held it out to the steed. The horse snatched up the sugar cube and chewed it slowly.

She could see Camilla and her retainers setting up the picnic area down the hill. Leo and his retainers were standing by the edge of water; the blonde prince was chiding Odin and Niles for having a water fight without his permission. Effie was carrying a set of logs on her broad shoulders, and Arthur was failing to keep up with her. Elise was gathering wild roses near the water just as she said she would. The only person missing was the King. Kamui’s eyes scanned the water’s edge; her older brother was nowhere to be found.

“Little Princess.” Kamui physically jumped a little and cringed. Xander was walking up the hill towards her. With all of her draconic senses, she had been unaware of his approach.

“Xander,” She responded.

The King of Nohr stopped short of embracing her; she saw his fingers twitch slightly as if he was fighting off his instinct to touch her. The air around them was slightly heavier than she had intended.

“You were speaking to that ninja,” He stated.

“Yes. He is my retainer after all," She shrugged.

Xander’s brow furrowed but his serious expression did not falter. He folded his hands behind his back and turned towards the water.

“Well as long as he is doing his job I see no issue with him staying.”

Kamui silently noted the slight hint of trepidation in Xander’s voice, even after cementing a peace treaty with Hoshido he was still heavily biased. He taught her during her years in the Northern Fortress that Hoshidans were not to be trusted. That the simple people were deceitful and only cared about keeping their resources away from others.

“Brother, sometimes the simplest appearances do not betray anything dark.”

The King snorted and granted her with his signature half smile.

“When did you become so wise Little Princess?”

“I’m not wise. It's just something I heard Ryoma say at one point.”

Out of the corner of her eye, the dragon princess saw her older brother stiffen. The Nohrian King was there when her other older brother had taken his own life. Ryoma had committed suicide as many samurais in Hoshido do in order to keep their honor even in death. His limp body lying on the tatami floor with his crimson armor hiding his blood had painted a violent picture in their collective eye.

“There is wisdom in those words,” Xander said softly.

“Yes.” Kamui nodded slightly.

She stepped away from her older brother and let her hand graze the edge of the Grim Yato. The searing heat she felt in her fingertips burned her skin like molten gold.

“However, sometimes the noblest appearances do betray something dark.”

“Kamui…”

“I speak of your father,” She said.

“He was your father too,” Xander corrected.

“No.” Kamui’s head shook.

She kept her back to the young King and stared deeper into the water. The reflective surface beckoned her from her perch. The silver water was smooth, and the false calm it promised yearned her to come closer.

“He was never my father,” She said wistfully.

“How could you say that Kamui?” Xander asked sharply.

Kamui spared a minor glance at her sibling, the finality in her smile made Xander’s throat close.

“I love you and our other siblings. But I never really loved him”

Garon’s mighty shadow still lingered at the edge of everyone’s life. His so-called legacy had tarnished the lives of the Nohrians and had removed the life from Hoshido. He never considered her as one of his children. She was just a marionette that was made to do his bidding.

“He never loved me.” She smiled and left Xander with his fists clenched at his sides. His bright Little Princess was gone, and the woman that had grown in her place removed the falsehood that he had taught her.

Kamui had traded in her toys and had taken up the sword. He couldn’t protect her anymore.

Xander remained underneath the shelter of the trees as he watched Kamui make her way to the others. Camilla waved her over and showed her where to sit. Elise arranged the roses she had gathered into a small vase in the middle. Leo sat beside Kamui; even he was smiling faintly and keeping his attention on the social gathering. The siblings sat around the velvet blanket as their retainers took their places beside their respective master.

“You remind me of a princess from long ago,” He whispered to himself.

A long time ago when Kamui hadn’t been apart of his family there was a solitary princess who had been adopted as his sibling. She had always been kept away from Camilla and himself. The court nobles considered her less than worthy of the title of princess and Garon had ordered his children to stay away from her. He couldn’t recall much about the young girl except for the color of her hair.

Blue. As blue as the momentary glances of Hoshido’s skies that he caught during the war.

“I wonder what her name was,” Xander pondered.

Kamui’s solitary attitude and her solemn expressions reflected the air that always followed that little girl around. She had been taken from Windmire shortly after Kamui had arrived. Her faint light had flickered out and Xander had buried her shadow.

There had been a woman who had followed Kamui to Nohr after they had saved her from ruffians. She never spoke a word to him or his followers, but she had always clung to Kamui’s leadership. A young maiden dressed in white with eyes of gold, and long blue hair that reminded him of flowing water.

“How could I not recognize her?” Xander’s realization made him frown. The young woman was no longer with them; she had disappeared shortly after the war ended. Her presence forgotten by the army just as she had been forgotten years prior.

Camilla called for him to join the others with a wave of her hand. Xander shook his head and trekked down the path back to his family. He would have to arrange proper burial arrangements for the forgotten princess once he returned home. It was time that she was given the proper recognition that his father had denied her for so long.

“I’ll make sure you aren't forgotten Azura,” He resolved as he sat beside Camilla.

Unbeknownst to the crowd by the lake a figment watched them from beneath the trees. She was faint and hardly held together by the water that gathered at her feet. She watched the Nohrian siblings eat and laugh together. But her focus remained on the Nohrian King and Kamui the most. Her golden eyes were faint and lifeless, and a dull purple mist clung to her once pristine dress.

“Please forget about me Xander and Kamui,” She begged quietly.

She disappeared in a flurry of bubbles, her form claimed by the mist. Kamui snapped her head up from eating her salad. She glanced up at the treeline, her meal completely dismissed from her attention.

“Azura…?” She asked..


	6. Chapter 6: Figment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter 6. This chapter is a shorter one sorry. If you like this story then please leave me some comments or suggestions if you want! Im always open to feedback!
> 
> Kamui is starting to remember more about Hoshido hmm? ;)

Kamui dragged her feet through the doors of Castle Krakenburg; her boots grazed the carpet with exhaustion. The Nohrian princess sighed into her palm as she tried to hold back a yawn. She could still taste the potato soup and salad that Camilla had packed. The picnic had been less awkward than she thought it would be. Her siblings really did care about her.

She smiled quietly and bent down to remove her mud-ridden boots. But before her hands could touch the laces, a pair of gloved hands gently slapped hers away.

“Please Lady Kamui. Don’t dirty your hands,” Jakob chided. 

Kamui rolled her ruby eyes towards the vaulted ceilings and snorted. Jakob was so keen on her needs that it hurt. It had taken years for Jakob to accept her habit of walking around barefoot, he almost fainted the first time he saw his lady’s feet so dirty. Now that she was starting to wear shoes around the castle, he was even more adamant to keep her as clean as possible.

“Do you really have to do that now Jakob?” She asked gently. 

“Well of course Milady! You are clearly uncomfortable,” Jakob sounded offended at her question.

The Nohrian princess drummed her fingers against her dark leggings as her butler methodically untied her boots. He waited for her to remove her feet from the shoes, the cold carpet on her bare flesh felt amazing after a long day. She removed her headband from behind her ears and shook out her white locks.

“I’m going to take a bath,” She stated.

Jakob’s ears perked slightly at her words and he turned his face upwards to stare at her.

“Shall I make you a cup of your favorite tea?” He asked.

Kamui shook her head and put her hand on the top of his head. The butler did not move his head; her heightened draconic senses let her see the growing bags under his eyes. He really was bad at keeping his own health up.

“Not tonight,” She said softly.

“W-what? Lady Kamui if I did something wrong-“ Jakob started to protest before she placed a slim finger to his lips.

“You need to take a break,” She smiled.

“Out of the question milady!” He shouted.

Kamui titled her head slightly to the side, her pointed ears swiveling at the faint sound of someone landing behind her. She saw Kaze standing behind her from the corner of her eye. The green haired ninja reached slowly into his scarf and pulled out a small sleeping pellet. He lifted his brow in a silent question, and she nodded her head.

“No more of this talk of breaks Lady Kamui. I’ll go make some tea,” Jakob said gruffly. His stubbornness was higher than usual, it made her worry that he was going to come down with something.

“I don’t think so Jakob.” Kamui kept him distracted by grabbing his wrist to let Kaze silently move behind his shadow.

“Milady what has gotten into you? You never refuse my assistance.” Jakob’s brow furrowed.

“Nothing is wrong with me. You are the one who looks like he’s about to keel over.” She kept her focus on him despite the temptation to watch Kaze.

“Did I do something to offend you?” He asked.

“Of course not Jakob, why would you think that?”

“Because you are insisting that I rest. That means that I have failed in my duty as your retainer.” The butler’s voice climbed an octave; he only displayed such anxiety when it came to her.

“You haven’t failed me.” Kamui patted his wrist and kept her smile. It did nothing to soothe her butler’s attitude.

“I’ll sleep when I have made sure that you are comfortable.” Jakob’s tone left no room for argument, not that Kamui needed one when Kaze smashed the pellet and forced it under Jakob’s nose.

“I don’t think you have a choice this time,” Kamui giggled as Kaze grabbed Jakob’s hand from trying to grab his dagger.

The silver-haired butler snorted angrily and staggered away from the green ninja. He tried to breathe through his mouth to prevent the pellet from taking effect. His legs gave out from under him and Kamui caught him by his shoulders. He stared up at his master with a slight pout.

“What did you do…?” He slurred.

“You need sleep,” Kamui soothed as she stroked back his bangs.

“Milady I’m glad for your concern but…” Jakob’s voice grew quiet before he let out a massive yawn.

“She didn’t do anything. I did,” Kaze corrected. He appeared between the pair with his arms folded as always.

“You blasted ninja….” The butler tried to glare, but his eyes rolled back and he crumpled into Kamui’s waiting arms.

Kaze picked Jakob up with ease, the man was lighter than he appeared. Kamui brushed her leggings off. Her butler really did need to take better care of himself, she couldn’t be the only thing important to him. Kaze cleared his throat and directed his gaze at her before flicking down to the sleeping Jakob.

“Can you take him to his room? And make sure he doesn’t come out for the rest of the night?” She asked.

“You know that what you are asking me is nearly impossible.” Kaze deadpanned.

“You? Afraid of a challenge?” She teased.

“Of course not, Lady Kamui. Please do not think little of me.” His calm tone betrayed the indignation he tried to bite back.

The ninja padded softly down the opposite hallway; Kamui swallowed back the lump that started to take form. He really was too good for her, and she couldn’t understand why he chose to stay.

“You can still leave you know,” She whispered.

Kaze stopped for a moment, he turned one hazel pupil on Kamui and he did something that she didn’t know that she wanted.

He smiled.

“I know.” He said before disappearing into the shadows.

********

The Nohrian princess stirred the fresh water with the tip of her finger. The fragrant bubbles climbed towards the ceiling in fluffy towers. She lit a few of the spare candles and placed them around the washtub in a semi-circle. Her thin robe fell to the floor and she stepped into the steam. The water was unnaturally hotter than a human could handle, but her dragon blood kept her from boiling alive.

She submerged her nose into the liquid and watched her breath bubble up to the surface. The candlelight mingled with the darkness, the two forces neither canceling each other out nor overpowering the other.

Her heart had yearned for Nohr and Hoshido to unite in a similar way. But obviously, that didn’t come to pass.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the nostalgia that always sat the back of her head. The familiarity was a constant buzz that she often ignored, but it never ceased the subconscious grip it had on her whenever she thought of her previous home. In her natural element of water, the submerged emotion fought for a way out.

“No use fighting it,” Kamui murmured.

Faces that she tried to recognize were blurry as ever, mere noise in her chaotic brain that failed to organize the static. She caught the sight of passing red hair, fluttering pink fabric, and the occasional glimpse of a sacred blade. None of the images stayed for long, they faded into grey as they always did.

“Kamui?” A faint voice came from the other side of the wooden door.

The Nohrian princess maintained her focus on the visions that flittered past her. She saw the occasional cherry blossom, the wayward feather from a kinshi bird, but nothing solidified together. Her head was starting to pound, and she could feel her lungs burning from the strain.

“Kamui. Are you in there?” The person on the other side was persistent in getting her attention.

Kamui bit her lip as she forced herself to remember at least something from her childhood. She couldn’t stand to have the unsatisfied nostalgia tease her with its promise of knowledge. The glimpses she had before grew stronger, and together they formed an unfocused image that she couldn’t quite complete.

Her lungs begged for her to breathe, and her head was splitting at the seems. But she forced the image to focus together.

It wasn’t anything big; there was no grand palace or the bright trees that she wanted to see. The crowds she expected were missing as well, instead, the faint memory was a long wooden hallway. She was standing in the corridor much smaller than she was currently. It was dark outside, but she could see the moon glittering through the matted windows. And she wasn’t alone.

She could feel the impression of a tiny hand gripping hers.

But when she turned to see who she was holding-

“KAMUI!” Takumi yelled.

The Nohrian princess lurched forward from underwater, her lungs gratefully taking in the fresh air that they desperately needed. She coughed into her wet hand and tried to gather her bearings. Her eyes glanced around the room before catching sight of her little brother.

“Thank the gods. I thought you were going to drown.” He huffed.

“Takumi,” She coughed.

Her little brother was staring at her with a frustrated frown planted on his transparent face. His ponytail hung over his shoulder like he had haphazardly flung his head through the door. Considering that he was a ghost, that is exactly what she saw.

His upper body was phasing through the door.

Kamui buried her body deeper in the pool of bubbles, her ears growing red at the tips from the exposure. She hoped that he didn’t notice her embarrassment in the candlelight, even though she was supposed to be the mature older sister. Takumi leaned further into the room, his hands keeping his body steady.

“Um, Takumi you know I’m in the tub right?” She asked.

Takumi froze, his eyes widened and his pale face grew greyer. Kamui lifted a brow, his lack of blood must have meant that growing paler was his ghostly way of blushing.

“DEAR GODS!” Takumi fell backward out of the door. His feet phasing through the wood as he tried to hide away.

“….Did you need something?” Kamui called.

“AFTER YOU GET OUT OF THE BATH,” He said firmly.

Kamui giggled into her palm, he had been so concerned about her drowning that he had practically burst through the door to check on her. Her little brother was really such a kid despite his attempts at appearing tough and secure. The princess leaned against the wooden frame of the tub in thought. Takumi’s behavior was very different than when he was her enemy.

Was he always such a determined and insecure boy?

She partially transformed one of her pale hands into a draconic claw. The claw stirred the water and she watched it lift out of the water in a thin stream. Thinking back on the memory that she forced herself to remember, she now knew the answer to her question. Takumi was very determined to prove himself; he had wanted to gain approval as a man and as a warrior when he was alive.

His insecurity had been there even when he was a child.

She thought back on the dark corridor with the bright moon shining through. She had been holding his hand to keep him from crying. Her little brother had gone to look for their mother after he had a nightmare. But he got lost in the dark, and he had woken her up with his crying. He had always carried this stuffed rabbit with him, and when she found him that night he had been crying into the toy.

“I won’t let the big bad dark hurt my baby brother!” Her younger self announced.

She remembered grabbing his chubby hand and holding him against her side. He had gripped onto her kimono and buried his face into her shoulder.

“I’m not a baby,” He insisted.

“I know! But I still want to protect you always!”

She remembered how his amber eyes had lightened with delight and fresh tears.

“Do you really mean that Nee-Chan?”

“I do! I promise I will always protect you, Kumi.”

Kamui stirred the water with her claw and blew the bubbles away from her body. The bubbles floated in the air, their delicate forms barely refracting the light before popping.

“I guess I failed in that way,” She said calmly.

She could hear Takumi in the hallway; he was getting restless as if he had something extremely important to tell her. His impatience would have been hilarious if it wasn’t for her being the only one who could see his spirit. Because she was the only one he could communicate with, she couldn’t imagine the pain he went through when she couldn’t talk to him.

“I failed to protect you once, the least I can do is not leave you alone again,” Kamui promised.


	7. Chapter 7: The Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: School is about to start so I won’t be able to update as often. Sorry about the inconvenience.  
> Let’s ramp up the angst!

When Kamui stepped out of her private bathroom, the ghost of her younger brother sitting in midair was not a sight she expected to see. Her hand tightened around the center of her robe. Takumi was facing away from her, his arms crossed over his chest and a frustrated pout pulling at his lips. He was hovering a few inches off of the ground, but it wasn’t his absent-minded floating that caught Kamui’s attention.

It was the golden bow that was strapped to his back.

A flash of pain radiated in her temple. She had been on the receiving end of that weapon more times than she could count.

Behind her eyes she could still see the cold blue light illuminating Takumi’s face as he stared her down in Cheve.

“Are you done Kamui?” Takumi huffed.

The Nohrian princess placed her palm against her forehead and blindly walked back to her room. She didn’t respond and groped around for the doorknob. When her hand touched cold brass she sighed and shut the door in the ghost prince’s face.

“Hey!” Takumi protested.

In a moment of frustration the former prince of Hoshido ignored his instincts to knock and shoved his head through the door. Loathe as he was to admit it, he had gotten used to not having an entirely physical body.

“Kamui!” He yelled.

Kamui’s pale expanse of skin greeted him as the princess slipped a gown over her shoulders. Takumi could feel his skin grow colder as he shielded his face with the back of his hands.

“Gods! Warn me before you undress!” He exclaimed.

“Quit sticking your head through random doors,” She said stiffly.

Takumi paused in his frustrations, his transparent fist raised slightly in the air in preparation for yelling at the dragon princess. The thin layer of stiffness failed to hide the exhaustion that smothered her soft voice. The ghost bit his tongue in a moment of slight empathy and phased fully through the wood.

“I assume you enjoyed your picnic?” He tried to keep his tone even.

Kamui sat at her vanity and started to brush out the wet strands of her platinum crown. She gave a slight nod in response but her voice remained silent. Takumi lifted a brow in disinterest. Something must have spoiled the mood of her outing if she was in such a foul state of mind.

“Well what happened then?” He pressed as he sat back in midair.

The princess merely shrugged her thin shoulders and allowed the brush to continue its climb towards her scalp. She focused on the monotonous motion, anything to keep the pain away from rattling her skull. The cold wind bit into her skin even with Takumi sitting away from her.

The air slowly turned frigid and suffocating between their figures, and she could faintly pick up the sound of a minor hum. The sound was minuscule, but the sharp tone it produced was grating on her ears.

“Hey, are you listening?” Takumi asked.

Kamui slammed her brush on the vanity and stood abruptly from her seated position. Her fingers clenched at the dark wood table, her smooth flesh turning duller by the minute. She willed her heart to cease its dangerous speed, but her breath failed to slow down.

She saw the arrows that rained down upon her men from the Great Wall outside of Hoshido. The violent rain impaling her soldiers in a blitz of fury as she looked at the face of the person she hurt the most. The second prince of Hoshido standing upon the brick structure with his bow aimed directly at her chest.

“Kamui,” Takumi called as he floated closer. Her silence was clear evidence of the dragon princess’s pain.

Kamui’s breathing grew rapid, her entire body shaking at the cold enveloping her body. She dug her fingernails into her thighs, the dragon stone sitting at her breast drumming painfully with her increasing pulse. The walls of her room were shrinking, her instincts screaming at her to run away.

“Sister.” Takumi moved his hand to rest on the base of her neck. Her energy raced up his arm in a shade that made him frown.

It was as black as the Nohrian sky.

Kamui screamed and jumped away from his touch, her platinum locks swarming around her face in a violent dance.

Takumi’s hand remained in the air, his eyebrows hidden by his silver bangs.

Her ruby eyes had been blown away by the hollow pupils that had taken their place. The shaking in her limbs had stopped, her face expressionless as she raised one hand to cover her mouth. Takumi turned around looking for the thing that was causing such raw emotion. When he followed her line of sight, he could tell that she was staring at his weapon.

The Fujin Yumi glowed softly, the dust motes danced around the blue string. For a moment he didn’t understand why his sister was acting so sporadically. His eyes softened upon the realization.

“Kamui. This is why I wanted to talk to you,” He said slowly. 

The Nohrian princess slowly reached for her dragon stone, the green stone glowing brightly to match that of his divine weapon. She fingered the small object and made no move to transform or attack him. 

“Are you going to finish the job?” She asked softly.

Takumi’s throat closed at her question, her tone wasn’t accusatory or judging. She sounded empty and worn; she had no fight left in her to stop him from taking her life. Back when he was alive, and his mind had been clouded by vengeance, he would have gladly committed the sin of killing his sister.

Now he couldn’t even look her in the eye.

“That’s not why I wanted to speak to you.” He murmured quietly.

Kamui’s fingers paused, but her expression didn’t reveal any relief or happiness at his admission. She lifted a single shoulder and gave him a hollow shrug as her only response.

“Then what’s so important?” She asked.

Her eyes never left the golden bow that sat against his back.

“Mother came to me while I slept,” Takumi stated.

Kamui’s eyes sobered at the mention of their mother Mikoto. The princess barely remembered the woman who had raised them lovingly in their shared childhood home. Her mother’s dying breath was the only echoing sound that elicited even the barest hint of sadness from Kamui. She couldn’t say that she missed her mother, despite the guilt that always sat in her gut when she thought about Mikoto’s fate.

“What did she say?” She moved to sit on the edge of her bed.

Takumi unclipped the bow from his back and floated to stand in front of his sister. He bent the Fujin Yumi back and summoned the string to wrap around his extended hand. The pale light brightened his face and left no shadows because he just absorbed the blue hue.

“I can’t move on to the afterlife,” He said.

“I think we already established that, ” Kamui quipped.

Takumi gave a withering glare at his sister. She folded her knees up to her chest and laid her cheek against them. Her hair was already dry, but because she had interrupted her brushing routine the strands were sticking up haphazardly.

“She told me the reason behind it,” He continued.

Kamui showed no interest, she twirled her fingers through her nappy hair and kept her focus on his bow. Her lips pursed lightly, she imitated a relaxed posture to hide her intention to flee if he came any closer. Takumi wasn’t really paying attention; he was more interested in detailing his encounter with Mikoto.

“I lied to you when we first met in the afterlife.” Takumi leaned back in midair, his Fujin Yumi lying against his chest.

“I figured that much Takumi. You weren’t exactly the most forgiving person when you were alive.” Kamui’s tone was flat, her burning optimism having already fizzled out during the war.

“Then why didn’t you call me out on it?”

“Because I knew you were just trying to help.”

Takumi could feel his skin go cold, though he couldn’t say that he was feeling genuinely embarrassed by her words. His “flesh” was just a semi-corporeal image that “he” projected. He had no body heat, gravity didn’t really have a hold on him, and he didn’t react to outer elements like he used to. Whatever emotions he felt were not as powerful as they once were, it was like what he felt and saw was being experienced through a foggy glass.

Except for Kamui, her colorful body and her emotions were so powerful that she often shattered that fogged glass that imprisoned him.

“Mother told me that the only way for me to move on is if we learn to forgive each other.”

Kamui belted out a sharp sound akin to a loud chirp, it wasn’t pleasant to hear and it didn’t sound like she enjoyed making it.

“That’s harder than she makes it out to be,” She retorted.

“That’s what I said.” Takumi folded his arms across his chest and pouted.

Why was it that they always found common ground in sarcasm and naming each other’s faults?

“That can’t be the only reason why she contacted you,” Kamui thought out loud.

“It isn’t.” The ghost floated closer to his sister. Her body tensed and she backed further up her bed to keep distance between them.

He sucked in a delicate breath, his amber irises darkening with immense sadness and pain.

“This is why.” He slowly let go of the Fujin Yumi. The golden bow falling to lie at Kamui’s feet.

Kamui reacted instantly; she recoiled from the divine weapon and stood up on her mattress. The weapon didn’t move or react to her presence, but she still expected it to shoot an arrow through her heart. Her pointed ears swiveled when she heard a small whimper. It was soft but very familiar to the princess. Her head shot up, the last time she heard that kind of sound was when-

“Takumi!” She yelled.

Thick, purple, and very suffocating flames clung to Takumi’s arms and torso. The ghost was cringing as he fought the urge to curl in on himself. He stared at Kamui, the flames climbing higher and highlighting his amber irises in a muddy shade of violet. Kamui reacted immediately; she jumped off of her bed and grabbed his hands.

“You idiot! You could have just told me!” She whimpered.

“You wouldn't have paid attention without proof,” He grunted.

Takumi let out a pained groan and gripped his gloved hands against his temples. He bit his lip, hard enough where his already pallid lips turned whiter than Kamui’s hair. He glanced imploringly at his sister, and in his ears, he could hear that same terrifying roar that had haunted him since he met Mikoto.

Kamui couldn’t move her body was rooted to the stone floor. The flames that danced across Takumi’s arms recoiled away from her. They didn’t dare touch her bare skin despite her being so close to the ghost. In her head, she could hear a faint rumbling, something guttural and instinctive similar to how she sounded when she became a dragon. It was a warning, telling her to leave the former prince of Hoshido to his fate.

“It doesn’t matter how I feel! You’ll end up possessed again!” She shook Takumi by his limp shoulders. The ghost not having the strength to argue as he usually did.

She watched in pure horror as that grueling shade of red slowly overtook his beautiful amber.

“My bow…” Takumi grunted. His voice deeper and grislier than what she was used to.

Kamui ignored her brewing panic and desperately grabbed for the Fujin Yumi. The bow didn’t burn her skin like her Grim Yato did, but it did hum beneath her fingertips as she walked quickly back to its master. She grabbed Takumi’s empty palm and forced him to grip onto the wood.

Takumi screamed as the purple flames disappeared, he collapsed and would have gone through the floor if Kamui didn’t catch him. The princess lifted her brother from the ground and carried him to her bed. She placed his flickering image upon the covers and stroked back his bangs.

“That wasn’t necessary,” She commented stiffly.

“You wouldn’t believe me otherwise,” He huffed tiredly.

Kamui rushed her fingers through his silver tresses with ease; the ghost prince breathing heavily with his eyes clenched shut. His fingers were clenched so tightly around the bow that it would have snapped if it weren’t a divine weapon. She fought back the wave of nausea that was rolling in her stomach and left his side.

Takumi tried to lift his head, dubious curiosity getting to him but he couldn’t move a muscle. He saw Kamui’s backside as she exited out of her private quarters into the hallway. The annoying tugging he felt in his gut resumed its pressure just like it always did when Kamui wasn’t around.

Kamui returned shortly afterward with a tub of water and a tray of tea. She hurried back to the bed and put her hand on his chest when he tried to move.

“Stay,” She said gently.

She moved his divine bow from his chest and gently placed his fingers on the hilt. His eyes followed her around the room as she moved, the princess kept her attention on the task at hand rather than what had been revealed to her. She took her seat beside his head and reached for the tea.

“I want you to try to drink this.”

“Kamui, I know your memory isn’t THAT bad. I’m dead.”

The Nohrian princess rolled her eyes and let her eyelids flutter in irritation, even with the exhaustion Takumi still found the energy to stay rude and sarcastic. It was no secret that the former prince of Hoshido was notorious for his sharp archery skills as well as his sharp tongue.

“It’s not going to hydrate you. But the heat will help.”

She poured some of the custom-made tea that Jakob had left her at her doorstep. The butler wasn’t going to sleep like he was supposed to and was going to continue to disobey her orders until she felt better. Ignoring the reprimand she was going to need to formulate for Jakob later, Kamui brought the cup to her little brother’s lips.

Takumi stared at her with slight annoyance, but the gentle amber that reflected back at her relieved the stress that she had felt during his earlier episode. There was no sign of that dreaded crimson that so matched her own. If Takumi ever did succumb to possession again, Kamui really wondered if she would be able to save him again.

You can’t really kill a ghost if they are already dead.

Takumi was reluctant to take in any substance that his sister provided, he didn’t know if it would merely phase through the sheets or if he wouldn’t be able to swallow without a stomach. Kamui’s earnest expression encouraged him to at least try, so he parted his lips slightly and sipped at the hot liquid.

The sugary taste that met his tongue caused the former prince of Hoshido to launch up from his flat position. He didn’t need to cough like he was so used to doing, the burning sensation quickly faded leaving his course of action as simply reactionary. He wiped his lips roughly with the edge of his glove. The liquid didn’t bleed through him like he expected, instead, it slipped down his throat and settled into a coal of warmth brewing in his middle.

“See? You absorbed it,” Kamui said triumphantly.

Takumi’s shoulders heaved as he fell backward onto the pillows. He glanced at his Fujin Yumi before looking at his sister.

“How did you know that?”

“Um…well…” A curtain of bright pink blossomed across Kamui’s pale cheeks.

For a moment her emotional mask receded and her innocent honesty shined through. Kamui scratched the back of her head and glanced at the immense bookshelf near the back wall. After the war had ended she had returned to the Northern Fortress to bring back the massive amounts of books she had collected over the years. Reading had been one of the only solaces she had growing up. The imaginary heroes, the dashing heroines, and the situations that others thought to be insane were all that she had to experience the outside world.

She couldn’t simply part with some of the greatest friends and teachers she had during those times.

“I loved reading about the supernatural," She stuttered.

Takumi looked at her with genuine interest. His pupils glowed softly from the light of his Fujin Yumi, so unlike the violet darkness that had threatened to take him earlier. He turned on his side and pulled the divine weapon close to his chest. He curled around the weapon and looked up Kamui.

“So you studied ghosts?”

“Kind of. I fell in love with stories of magic, gods, and mythos of the world.” Kamui twirled a finger in her platinum locks.

“What do you know about ghosts?”

“Well, ghosts with strong wills or strong connections to their mortal lives have various abilities that normal spirits don’t have.”

“Such as?”

“The ability to touch objects for one.”

The ghost prince lifted one of his hands and touched Kamui’s cheek. The motion was slow and deliberate, but the gentle cold that seeped into her bones made her sigh. She usually didn’t like the freezing air, but Takumi wasn’t like everything else. His coldness was gentle and didn’t stab her like Felicia’s snow did when she cried.

“Well that explains why I slowly gained the ability back,” He whispered.

“Ghosts of this type also have the ability to feel subtle differences between the cold and heat. That’s why I gave you some tea, the heat was meant to help you relax,” Kamui continued as she stroked Takumi’s hand.

Takumi nuzzled the side of his face into her soft pillows; he let go of her face and tugged at the satin ribbon in his hair.

“Getting sleepy?” Kamui teased.

“Shut up. I can’t sleep with my hair up. It’s too constricting.” Takumi snapped.

Kamui didn’t reply, she lightly slapped his hand away from his hair and maneuvered his head to rest in her lap. The ghost yelped in embarrassment and tried to wriggle away from her. But the Nohrian princess kept hold on his head and prevented his upper body from moving away.

“Hold still. You need to save your energy," she coaxed. Kamui lightly threaded her fingers through his hair and untied the satin ribbon. His silver hair fell in waves over her knees and onto the sheets below.

“Hey!” Takumi spat.

“Shush.” Kamui tapped his nose and threaded her fingers through his hair. The effect was immediate; the ghost prince stopped his movements and his protests died on his tongue.

Takumi’s eyes were getting heavy, he couldn’t keep awake for much longer but his pride still demanded that he remain awake. Kamui’s energy was looping through his hair and her hairs at a much slower rate than normal. The color was no longer black, instead, it was a soft blue not unlike his Fujin Yumi’s sacred light.

“Go to sleep,” Kamui hummed. Her fingers scratching at his scalp.

Takumi sighed and let his eyes slide shut, despite the difficulty they were to face very soon on their path of forgiveness, he couldn’t deny that Kamui’s touch was comforting.

“Hey, Sister?” He asked as his consciousness started to fade.

“Yes, Brother?” Kamui hummed as her hands continued their trail through his hair.

“I hope that I can forgive you one day.” He whispered. His unnecessary breathing ceased, and his corporeal form went completely cold. If it wasn’t for the occasional flutter of his eyelids and the grip he held on his weapon Kamui could have sworn that he was in a coma. 

Kamui bent over and kissed the top of his head, her full lips nuzzling the silver hair that lacked any signature smell.

“I don’t know if that will be so easy Brother,” She smiled sadly, her fingers grazing his cheek.

Takumi grumbled and turned his face slightly into her body heat.

“But I hope that you let me try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Takumi being very sensitive about his hair being touched, is that a popular headcanon or is it just me?


	8. Chapter 8: Leo Finds Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter 8 is finally out. School is back in session as I said before so I apologize before hand if there are longer periods between chapters.
> 
> There is mild swearing in this chapter.

Kamui sighed happily into the old paper that caressed her cheek. The delicate scent mingled with the scent of her shampoo in the fresh morning air. She glanced up at the darkened skies that blocked out the dawn. Felecia and Flora’s cold morning wake-up calls had always gotten her up the sun could even peak through the thick clouds. Even without their required morning assistance, the Nohrian princess still arose before the invisible sun.

A small grumble to her left made her ears swivel slightly, she turned her head and watched Takumi roll over in his sleep. His still chest and the cold air surrounding his spirit made her frown. He had been tossing in his unconscious state all night, and at times his transparent image would flicker as if he was going to disappear.

She glanced back at the book that she had borrowed from Leo, the pages of dark magic and lore wasn’t helping in her current search.

“There has to be a way to help him pass on.” She chewed on her nail slightly.

Her dead brother had told her that the only way for him to pass on was if they both granted each other the forgiveness they needed. Kamui rolled her thumb between her fangs; this was the 4th book that didn’t provide any hints to their current situation. But she couldn’t stop her mind from trying to find an easier alternative.

“I don’t think he will last in this world as just a spirit,” She whispered.

Takumi snorted in his sleep and curled around his Fujin Yumi. His long locks sprawled behind his back.

Kamui stood from her window seat; she reached for her linen robe and wrapped it around her skinny frame. With book in hand, she strapped the scabbard of the Grim Yato against her waist and stepped out into the darkened hall.

The silence of the castle loomed around her, the fresh air turned stale rather quickly because there were no windows in the corridor. She steadied her breath and walked towards the private quarters closest to her. Down a separate hallway, she descended a set of wide stairs and came upon the wood doors of her sibling.

Odin and Niles were standing guard as they always did when Leo was awake. The pair of retainers were hunched over a small table, a candle sitting between them. As Kamui stepped closer she could see the playing cards they each clenched between their fingers.

“And that makes the 7th pair I have won in a row.” Niles smiled triumphantly.

“How?! I thought for certain that my dear blood wouldn’t fail me!” Odin bellowed dramatically as he slammed his playing cards on the table.

“Well my dear sorcerer, you should remember never to gamble with a thief.” The smirk that crawled across Niles' lips made Kamui’s skin crawl.

“Mark my words, thief! I shall have my redemption!” Odin swore as he reshuffled the deck.

“I don’t know about redemption but watching you lose is entertainment to me,” Niles purred as he waited for the hand to be dealt.

“Excuse me, boys,” Kamui spoke up after tiring of their awkward display of friendship.

“Lady Kamui!” Odin proclaimed as he leaped up in surprise, the playing cards scattering everywhere on the floor.

“Odin you buffoon, I wanted to play another pair not 50 card pile up,” Niles complained.

“Milady, to what honor do we have to be in your splendor?” Odin ignored the outlaw and kept his focus on the Nohrian princess.

“Is my brother awake?”

“Why yes, Lord Leo is indeed awake. Shall I alert him to your presence?”

“No. I can do it myself thank you.” Kamui knocked on the door.

The other side was quiet for a moment before the doors shifted enough to allow Leo’s blonde head to peak through. There were bags under his eyes, a clear sign that he hadn’t been sleeping at all. He held up a candle to Kamui’s face, his expression softening from the apparent rant he had prepared for anybody else disturbing him.

“Sister. What can I do for you this early?” He yawned.

“I have something I need to discuss, do you mind?”

Leo moved to the side and allowed her entry; he narrowed his eyes at his idiotic retainers as Odin ranted to himself about playing cards.

“Could you two please try to actually do your jobs properly for once?”

“Ah, but my dear Prince. Fighting boredom IS part of my job.” Niles smiled.

Leo rolled his eyes and shut the door firmly in their faces, the overdramatic tone of Odin swearing to smite Niles over another hand still manages to leak through the wood.

Kamui sat on the velvet couch near the unlit fireplace, her knees drawing up underneath her nightgown. Leo lit the fireplace with a minor spell and took his seat next to his sister. He placed the candle upon the polished table and picked up the book he had been reading.

“So what is it that you need Kamui?” He asked.

Normal people would have flinched at his direct tone, but growing up with the younger prince made Kamui all too familiar with his hidden emotions. She merely smiled and placed the book she had borrowed on the table. The leather bound book landing with a soft thump.

“What do you know about ghosts?” She responded.

Leo’s brown eyes investigated the title of the book she had dropped, he grunted to himself before closing the book he had wanted to read.

“I know the basics, why do you ask?”

Kamui’s carmine eyes glowed in the firelight, the bright spirit he had once loved to see was glossy and worn. But underneath that tired gaze, he sensed a tempered wisdom that she had forged out of a necessity of surviving the cruelty that was Garon.

At one point Leo would have thought that she only came to him to learn out of curiosity, but right now didn’t seem to be the case.

“Can you keep a secret?” She whispered.

“Sister, you know secrets don’t work in our family,” He stated gruffly.

Her ruby irises cooled, a cold fire of determination replacing the unadulterated joy that she once possessed.

“It has to this time. You are the expert on magic and the other world here,” She stated.

“And why are you asking me to keep this secret for you?” He huffed.

“It's Takumi,” Kamui responded calmly.

The younger Nohrian prince glanced up at his sister fully, now he could admit that he was intrigued. His memory of the dead prince of Hoshido was faint; he had only met the annoying young man a couple of times. And it had always involved lots of yelling and inevitable conflict between their armies. He did remember when Takumi had committed suicide upon the Great Wall of Suzanoh.

Kamui had been so distraught of pushing her blood-related brother over the edge; he couldn’t forgive the dead prince for her suffering through that.

“Yes, your blood-related brother,” He spat.

“Leo, don’t start,” Kamui threatened with a raised finger.

Leo bit his tongue and let the protest he wanted to say die in his throat. He shouldn’t be so judgmental towards the Hoshidan siblings. Kamui had chosen her Nohrian siblings even with blood tying her to the Hoshidans after all. There was no reason for him to continue prattling on his hatred towards a country that had proven that his father was worse than any fantastically racist stories about Hoshido.

“So, Prince Takumi is a ghost then,” He shifted topics.

“Yes.” Kamui nodded.

Leo tilted his head slightly, his expression inquisitive but distant. There was no suspicion in his eyes, but rather a morbid curiosity that could have matched that of Kamui’s. When they were younger, he would gladly spend long hours reading with his older sister about the magic that flowed through both of their veins. The notion that Takumi was a ghost that couldn’t pass on was not a completely foolish notion.

“He’s haunting you.” He raised a wine glass to his lips and stared at his sister.

“Yes.” She wrung her dress between her fingers.

The blonde prince took a long sip of the bitter wine that he often drank during one of his sleepless nights. The muffled flavors burned his throat, but he didn’t flinch as he swallowed.

“Don’t you think it’s oddly convenient that you are seeing images of your dead brother?” He asked.

Kamui’s eyes sharpened, she looked at him directly and snarled slightly. Her sharp fangs reflected dangerously in the fire.

“I didn’t come here to be talked down to Leo. If you won’t listen to my plight then I’ll leave.” She stood from her side of the couch and grabbed up the book that she had left on the table.

“Sister, don’t leave.” Leo grabbed her wrist and glanced up at her imploringly. He hadn’t expected her to respond so bitterly.

“It’s already bad enough that Xander sees me as a weakling that needs to be coddled, I don’t need it coming from you too,” She said bluntly.

Leo pulled his hand away from her flesh as if her porcelain skin had burned him. There were no tears in her eyes as what used to be the case when she talked about her insecurities. Now there was only a grim frown and a steady gaze that showed all of her inferiority.

“I’m sorry,” She said before sinking back onto the couch.

“You don’t need to say that.” He waved his hand to dismiss it.

Kamui reached over and grasped his hand in hers; she pulled the blonde prince closer until he could smell her sweet breath on his neck.

“No. I’m sorry Leo. You of all people don’t deserve to have me yelling at you.”

“Sister this is uncalled for.” He tried to pull away but Kamui just pulled him in closer.

“It’s not. You have dealt with inferiority as long as I have if not longer.”

She wrapped her arms around his torso and leaned her head against his. Making no other move she remained silent to allow Leo enough room to move away. The silence was comfortable, the Nohrian prince making no move to get out of his sister’s grasp. He swiveled his glass of wine around, watching the maroon color move around in a minor circle.

“Sucks being younger than them don’t it,” He stated before taking another swig.

“I can’t claim that I understand what you went through,” Kamui whispered.

“Even you living in that fortress had to face their shadows someday.”

Kamui picked up the bottle of wine that sat in the middle of the table; instead of reaching for a glass she took a careful swig from the bottle itself. The terrible taste hit her tongue immediately, but she refused to gag and let it burn in the back of her mouth. Gripping the bottle with as little strength as possible, she forced the drink down her pipe and coughed.

“Oh sure, go ahead finish the wine.” Leo waved a hand sarcastically.

“Shut up.” Kamui punched him lightly in the arm.

Leo finished off the wine sitting in the bottom of his glass and wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. The sight of her younger brother in something other than his heavy armor was still a sight that Kamui wasn’t used to. His simple ensemble of a button up shirt and slacks really did make him look younger.

“Do you ever wonder if you can even step out of our siblings' shadows?” He asks.

“Probably not. Xander is King now and Camilla has already made a name as one of the generals of the army,” Kamui sighed.

“I know how that feels,” Leo conceded, his tone was light despite his words.

“You also have my shadow to deal with.” Kamui stared at him, her eyes seeking to dig deeper into the mask that he always tried to hide behind.

“Well, at least your shadow has shrunk,” Leo jokes with a smirk.

He remembered a time where he was convinced that Kamui could do no wrong. The constant praise coming from Xander and Camilla especially painted his sister in a brighter light than his own. But the invasion of Hoshido had proven his convincing judgment wrong. Kamui’s constant failure to keep Hoshidans alive and her fear of angering Garon made her just as pathetic as him.

“What can I say, reality just loves proving me wrong,” Kamui shrugged.

“Welcome to the club.” Leo raised another glass of wine that he poured and put it to his lips.

Kamui watched the fire struggle to consume the dry logs that sat in Leo’s fireplace. The flames were not strong enough to reach higher than a few inches off of the wood. The shades of orange and yellow reminded her of the vibrant leaves that fell during Hoshido’s cold season. Now that Hinoka had exiled her from the country, she wondered if she would ever see the leaves again without looking into her shoddy memory.

“So, PrinceTakumi is a ghost.” Leo caught her attention by poking her on the head.

“Yes. Nobody else can see him but me.” Her ears folded back against her skull.

“It makes sense. You were the one who killed him in the end.”

Flashes of dark crimson eyes, boiling miasma, and twitching skin came back to Kamui’s mind. The deep guttural growls of pain, the constant erratic movements, and the dark bow that Takumi had wielded. Once again, the possessed corpse that had once been her brother crawled forth to the center of her thoughts. But instead of flinching or crying as before, Kamui simply let her body shake and took in a slow breath.

“Ghosts, as you know, are spirits that cannot pass on.” Leo’s tone took on an academic note, his gaze carefully fixating on her to make sure she listened.

“Aren’t they drawn to the people they were strongly connected to in life?”

“Some of them yes. Most spirits simply wander the earth, their souls slowly corrupting because of their inability to move on.”

Leo stood up from his seat and strolled towards one of the many bookcases in his room. He started to finger through the countless novels, glancing only momentarily at each one to inspect the title. His eyes trailed over a large spell book, a satisfied smile crawled across his face before he turned back towards Kamui.

“Prince Takumi is drawn to you because you are the strongest connection he has.”

“But what about Hinoka and Sakura?”

“They weren’t the ones who ended his life.”

“Point taken,” Kamui quipped.

Leo flipped to the index in his book, when he found the topic he was looking for he pointed at it with a single finger.

“It’s because of that connection that you can see him.”

“This is going to sound stupid, but can others eventually see him?”

“It’s possible. His sisters, for example, could probably see him, and if I used my magic I could probably communicate with him as well.”

“I don’t think that last part is such a good idea.” Kamui shook her white head.

The blonde prince continued to absently read the documented facts about ghosts. Takumi was only a few months’ dead, which left him a still fresh soul. The obsessive nature and the extreme emotional responses ghosts gave probably hadn’t taken form yet. Then again most of the documented hauntings were of mere wanderers, but it didn’t stop Leo from worrying about his sister.

“Kamui, can he touch you?” His eyes flickered up to look at her.

“Yes.” She twirled a lock of her hair between her nails.

Leo fought back the urge to sigh in relief that was an extremely good sign when spirits were concerned. If a spirit finds someone they can touch, they can draw from that living person’s energy to stabilize their rather powerful emotions. Takumi was an extremely emotional person when he was alive, the damage he could do as an upset spirit made Leo shiver.

“Kamui. There is something important you need to know,” He cleared his throat.

“Hm?” Kamui paused in her hair twirling and raised a brow.

“Has Prince Takumi ever told you about a tugging sensation that he feels?”

The Nohrian princess was taken back by his seemingly random question, her bottom lip jutting in a confused pout.

“Yes?” Kamui furrowed her brow.

“You need to make sure that tugging sensation doesn’t become stronger.”

“Why?” Her brow furrowed deeper in concern.

Leo closed the book and placed it on top of the novel that he had been reading earlier. His expression was distant as if he was trying to figure out the right way what he wanted to convey to her. He pinched his nose and let out a concentrated huff before patting his beloved book’s surface.

“He feeds off of your energy. You stabilize his emotions.”

The blonde prince replaced the books back in their designated spots, his need for organization overriding his important train of thought momentarily.

“If you two are separated for too long, he will grow unstable.”

“You mean…like when he was possessed?”

Leo turned fully and watched his sister chew the bottom of her lip, her cheeks were flushed and her hands were starting to shake.

“No. A ghost’s power is derived from how powerful their emotions are.”

Kamui’s jaw tightened, she clutched the fabric of her dress until her knuckles turned as white as her hair.

“Takumi has powerful emotions.”

“Exactly. You keep his emotions in check.”

She rolled her eyes skywards and fell back against Leo’s plush couch with a thud. Her bangs fell on her face, but the irritation that was brewing in her stomach kept her from bothering to fix it. Leo came around and patted her knee in what appeared to be an amusing gesture.

“Fuck,” She whispered through gritted teeth.

“Camilla would have a heart attack if she heard you say that.”

Kamui moved a single finger in the air in a half-hearted semi-circle.

“Yay for me,” She sighed.

Kamui’s ears picked up on a faint voice coming closer down the halls. She lifted her arm and looked at Leo. The prince was stroking her knee in a comforting gesture and was giving no indication that he heard the voice. The sounds were getting closer, the voice was only calling her name but the tone was slightly panicked.

“Kamui?” Takumi was probably floating around the halls wondering where she had gone while he slept.

“Do I just keep him company to keep him stable?” She asked Leo.

“Well, there is something I could try to help you.” Leo scratched his chin, his brow irises darkening in thought.

“What would that be?”

"There is a spell that could-”

“Kamui,” Takumi called, his transparent head coming through the wooden doors.

She shot up from her previous position, her mouth falling slack as she watched Takumi look around the room. Initially, when he found her his eyes lit up slightly in greeting. But when he caught the sight of Leo leaning over her, his expression faltered and narrowed in distaste.

“Shit,” Kamui whispered.


	9. Chapter 9: Inferiority

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: My story has really started to pick up momentum since chapter 8 was posted. I am very grateful to everyone who continues to read and comment on my story :).
> 
> Chapter 9 is a bit more dialogue heavy. Just warning you.

Kamui bit her lip; she should have guessed that Takumi would come looking for her sooner or later. She forced her hands to remain at her sides instead of pulling at her hair. The silver-haired ghost was staring at Leo with a mixed emotion that she could describe as morbid curiosity. He didn’t move or yell at her, his eyes just soundlessly flickered back between the two Nohrian royals.

“What did I say about sticking your head through doors,” She huffed.

“You didn’t hear my calls,” Takumi huffed back.

Leo frowned thoughtfully as his head slowly turned around the room. He put his hand on Kamui’s shoulder, and the contact made Takumi scowl.

“I’m guessing your ghost is here,” He observed.

“He’s sticking his head through the door like a pervert.”

Takumi huffed indignantly and phased his entire image through the wooden door. He sat crossed legged on the floor, his hands folded into his massive sleeves and the Fujin Yumi strapped to his back. Kamui faintly noted that he had bothered to tie his hair back, the red satin tie in his hair knotted carefully and neatly.

“I am not a pervert,” He sneered.

Leo searches through his massive bookcases, his back turned to both his sister and the dead prince of Hoshido. Kamui fights the urge to breathe a sigh of relief; Takumi wasn’t focused on her brother. The Nohrian prince chews the inside of his cheek as he searches for the solution that he had thought of earlier.

“You were the one who barged into my bath,” She retorted.

Takumi’s face turns grey, his eyes widen, and he scoffs as if her honesty was an insult to his pride.

“Are you sure he isn’t just sending you mixed signals?” Leo asks.

The former prince of Hoshido turned his sneer on the Nohrian prince, his hand slowly peeking from beneath his shirtsleeve. Kamui’s adamant glare was the only thing keeping him from shooting an arrow at Leo’s books.

“Glad to see that your ‘siblings’ are humorous,” He spits.

Kamui’s heart stutters at the spite oozing from Takumi’s words, in the back of her mind she absently wonders if he would ever let go of his distaste for Nohrians. With the sorry state that Hoshido was in, she could hardly tell if it would ever happen.

“Found it,” Leo speaks up, a thick spell book clenched in his hands.

“So what is it?” Kamui glanced at the cover, the magical letters far too complex for her to decipher.

“I’ll show you.” Leo smiles.

He glances at the area where he assumes Takumi to be, his hand reaching out as he begins to chant in a low tone. The silver-haired ghost launches to his feet, he reaches for his divine weapon with a snarl. Kamui steps in between both males, her hand clutching her dragon stone in a mild threat.

Leo finishes his spell and waves his fingers lazily in front of him. There are no massive sparks or explosions, just a small array of glittering dust as he slams his book shut. His brown eyes focus on Takumi, and he lifts a delicate blonde brow.

“Any particular reason why you are reaching for your bow?”

The ghost balks for a moment, his hand not moving away from the Fujin Yumi’s handle.

“You can see me?” He questions.

“I’d rather not. But I’m willing to put up with you for Kamui’s sake.”

Kamui releases her grip on her dragons tone, her fingers carding through her white locks in frustration. Not even two seconds into their first encounter in a while, and already the boys were ready to pounce on each other. Unlike their last conversation in Izumo, there was no overt atmosphere of awkwardness and despair.

Now she was beginning to wish that Izana were there, at least his erratic humor kept the boys distracted from killing each other.

“You know I think you would look better with an arrow in your throat,” Takumi threatened.

“Honestly, you would be better off six feet underground,” Leo retorted.

“Both of you shut up.” Kamui partially transformed her hand into a dragon claw, the sharp talons silencing both of her younger brothers.

Leo glanced at her transformed claw with little expression; he merely shrugged his shoulders and sat back on his couch with a small flourish. Takumi planted his feet firmly on the ground and marched up to stand next to Kamui. He released his hold on his divine weapon to weave his cold fingers through her hair.

“Why did you tell him about me?” His soft tone was a harsh contrast to the dislike he spewed towards his princely counterpart.

“Because he is an expert on magic and the supernatural, I wanted more information on your situation,” Kamui shrugged.

Takumi’s fingers tightened briefly in her hair, whatever pain she felt from the tugging she didn’t react upon.

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” He narrowed his eyes.

“No. I want to help you,” Kamui replied.

The sincerity and honesty in her words made Takumi flinch, he was so used to accusing her of deceit and corruption. But the earnest red in her eyes and the soft frown gracing her lips made him freeze. Kamui knew that she was a fuck up; she didn’t need him constantly reminding her of that fact anymore. She was just trying to soften the wounds that he still carried.

“Okay.” He whispered.

She gave a nod and turned back towards Leo.

Takumi quietly watched as Kamui and Leo fell back into a casual conversation, the tension in Kamui’s shoulders disappearing instantly. The pair were discussing his circumstances, neither of them turning to look at him as their words mingled together. He glanced at his hand currently buried in Kamui’s hair. Her off-white strands embracing his gloved hand with softness and ease.

The dark leather of his arm braces made Takumi stiffen, with tremors racking his form he brought his gloved hands closer to inspect them.

“Takumi?” Kamui glanced at him, his stiff behavior causing concern to furrow in her brow.

“I’m a spirit.” He focused his eyes on his sister.

“Yeah?” Her head tilted in a way similar to lizards.

Takumi’s amber irises shifted between his gloved hands and his sister’s pale face, the sudden dismay in his throat causing his voice to shake.

“How do I know that this isn’t all I am?” He motioned at his clothing.

Kamui put her hands on his shoulders and maneuvered him to sit in the lone armchair next to the couch. She kneeled in front of him, her hands hovering idly in the air careful not to touch him.

“Takumi, can I show you something?” She asks.

The former prince of Hoshido glared half-heartedly at her, his eyes not focusing on her entirely. She had to pull him out of his most recent funk before his emotions got out of hand.

Kamui turned over one of his hands and started to untie the ties holding his brace in place. Takumi flinched and tried to pull his arm towards his chest, his eyes going incredibly wide over the fear he was fighting.

“Takumi please,” Kamui said softly.

The silver-haired ghost sucked in a reluctant breath and huffed slowly. He kept quiet and shoved his hand into her grip, his face turning away from her gaze. Kamui smiled slightly and untied the rest of the string holding his bracer in place. When he felt the leather being removed Takumi’s shoulders stiffened. He couldn’t resolve the fear growing in the base of his gut.

The feeling of Kamui’s warm hand in his eased all of the confusion that had threatened to boil over. He glanced at their joined hands, the bright color of pink running up his arm.

“See? You aren’t just a bunch of empty clothing.” She smiled.

“Though the idea of him just being a floating head is amusing,” Leo said.

Takumi narrowed his scowl on the blonde prince silently hoping that he had some sort of supernatural power that could set Leo’s hair on fire. The slight smirk on Leo’s face just made his emotions boil more.

Kamui rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb in small circles, the warmth of her touch calming him slightly.

“Leo, is there anything else that can be done to make this easier on him?” She asked.

The Nohrian prince glanced down at the spell book he still carried, his fingers flipping to a specific page of ancient letters.

“Well, there is a spell that I could try to cast.”

“What would it do?”

Leo stood from his seated position and walked to stand beside Kamui. Takumi tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her slightly towards him in reaction. Leo lifted a brow in slight interest.

“Clearly your companion here doesn’t desire my help.”

“Of course I don’t Nohrian,” Takumi growled.

Kamui tried to calm her little brother by fully holding his hand, her fingers kneading the back of his wrist.

“Takumi, please I asked him to help.”

“I know,” Takumi huffed.

He threaded his free hand through his bangs with a deep sigh and let his shoulders sag.

“Kamui, I don’t want his help.”

“What? His knowledge of magic is incredible.” Her eyebrows shot up.

“I know that. But I don’t…” Takumi trailed off, he couldn’t finish the sentence with her looking at him with such curiosity.

“He doesn’t like Nohrians,” Leo stated bluntly.

Kamui’s shoulders sagged with Leo’s announcement; she didn’t give any indication that she was upset. But her fingers let go of Takumi’s palm and she folded them neatly in her robe pockets. Already the ghost prince was missing the heat that she gave off, it was such a nice contrast to his own frigid being.

“That’s okay,” Kamui tried to keep her tone steady.

“Sister…” Takumi reached for her, but his hand just remained in the air between them.

“Funny, you don’t like Nohrians and yet you still consider Kamui your sister.”

Takumi’s irritation towards his princely counterpart returned in full swing. He glared at Leo, his fists clenching together. The usual animosity he felt for the Nohrian royals was stronger than before. It wasn’t like when he was possessed, there was no darkness threatening to take him under. It was his anger and annoyance that was growing inside.

“She is my sister,” He grumbled.

“Really? If I recall you once announced in broad daylight that she wasn’t related to you.” Leo tilted his head to the side, his smirk fading into a cursory line.

“Whether I want to be or not we are siblings.” Takumi crossed his arms over his chest, preparing himself for an argument.

“Then why did Kamui choose us?” Leo asked simply.

Takumi bit the inside of his cheek and glanced quickly at Kamui. The princess stepped between the two of them. She put her hand on the hilt of the Grim Yato and the other around her dragon stone.

“Enough, Leo,” She said.

“I am only asking a question Sister," He responded calmly.

“It doesn’t matter if she chose you. We were her real family.”

Kamui’s head bows, she can clearly hear the sadness and exhaustion in Takumi’s tone. There was no fire left in him to yell accusations at her, the path she had chosen was already paved in blood and grime.

“You never treated her as such,” Leo stated.

Takumi growled at the blonde prince, his teeth gnashing together as he whips the Fujin Yumi from his back. Crystal tears stream down his pale face in absolute anger; he couldn’t control them if he tried.

“You treated her like a tool!” He yelled.

“A tool? Kamui willingly joined our army’s conquest,” Leo calmly replied.

“Willingly?! Your father was keeping her tethered like a dog!”

“Father did that to all of us.” Leo closed his eyes at the mention of Garon, the painful memories still too fresh for him to think of freely.

“You Nohrians are the reason that she betrayed us!” Takumi snarled.

He braced the Fujin Yumi between his fingers, the air turning crisp and light around him as a blue arrow formed at the archer's command.

Kamui grabbed his bow by the handle, her transformed claws preventing him from shooting an arrow at Leo.

“Enough Takumi,” She grunts.

“Out of the way Sister,” He grumbles angrily.

Kamui’s red irises narrow, her dragon stone glowing slightly brighter as her face started to contort into a draconic mask.

“I. Said. Enough,” She commanded.

“Funny how you call her Sister even after she took your life.”

Takumi’s anger spiked at that comment, he tore his bow away from Kamui and pointed it directly at Leo’s chest. The Nohrian prince braced his Brynhildr in defense, his arm raised with magic beginning to brew in his palm. Kamui grabbed her dragon stone from her breast and let herself be consumed by the burning water. Her scaled body and folded wings taking great care not to break any of Leo’s furniture.

Her jaw bent down and gently grabbed Takumi by the back of his collar. The ghost let out an undignified squeak and grabbed his divine weapon. The dragon Kamui lifted her tail and wrapped it around Leo’s middle. With a strength that only she could possess, she lifted both of her younger brothers in the air and away from each other.

“What did I say about ENOUGH!” She growled.

Leo was about to comment but Kamui turned her blank face on him, even without her eyes being visible she leveled a gaze that kept him quiet.

“Leo, I am taking Takumi with me. Come find us when you think you can actually help without trying to get yourself killed,” She growled as she put Leo on the floor.

“Sister I didn’t mean to-” Leo tried to explain but Kamui growled at him.

“I don’t want to hear it right now,” She grumbled.

Kamui bent her elegant neck through his wooden doors and contorted her long body to crouch. Odin jumped up in surprise when he saw the large dragon exiting from his master’s bedroom.

“By the gods! Lord Leo summoned a mythical beast!” He exclaimed.

“No, you idiot. That’s just Lady Kamui.” Niles smacked Odin upside the head.

Takumi tried to wrench his way from between her jawbones, but Kamui bit deeper into the cloth. She turned her head to glance down at the royal retainers, as her tail wrapped around the knob and slammed the door shut behind her.

“Did Lord Leo anger you milady?” Odin stammered. He was always easily impressed by Kamui’s dragon form.

“Yes. Please make sure that he doesn’t bother me until he is truly ready to apologize,” She grumbled deeply before marching down the corridor.

“Oh, what did our little lord do now~?” Niles put a hand to his cheek in mock dismay.

Kamui made her way to her room, her wings spreading out fully when she climbed out onto the balcony. Takumi demanded to be put down; he was swinging around uselessly trying to get out of her grip. The dragon folded her long limbs beneath her body and lay against the stone. She put Takumi between her torso and her tail, her wings curling around to make a makeshift nest.

“Kamui put me down,” He demanded.

Kamui simply purred and nuzzled his cheek with her enlarged head. The warm scales eased their heat into his core. A mixture of blue and maroon circled her body, the colors slowly curling into his hair. Takumi tried to shove her head away from his skin, but the transformed princess just gently purred into his ear.

“Rest," She spoke softly.

The former prince of Hoshido tried to protest, his indignation and wounded pride demanding that he argue with her. But the welcoming heat she produced soothed the anger that been brewing in his spirit. His emotional turmoil slowed, leaving him feeling tired and empty.

“You didn’t take a side,” He murmured.

“There was no point. Whatever side I took would have left one of you in pain.”

Takumi lifted his head from her torso and rested it on his elbow. He stared into her draconic mask, her blank face hiding away the expression he tried to decipher.

“Then why did you choose Nohr?” He asked.

Kamui bent her head down towards his and gently bumped their foreheads together.

“I genuinely thought that choosing Nohr would lead to peace.”

Takumi pulled at his ponytail with a slack grip, his laughter resounding bitterly amongst the stones that made up Castle Krankenburg’s outer surroundings.

“And that resulted in my country being decimated, Ryoma taking his own life, Hinoka taking the throne, and me dead.”

Kamui snorted lightly into his hair.

“Think about it Takumi. If I had chosen Hoshido can you genuinely tell me that it wouldn’t have ended in a similar way for Nohr?”

Takumi visibly flinched at her question. Her logic wasn’t faulty here; if she had chosen Hoshido there was no way he could guarantee that things wouldn’t have ended in the same way. Xander was a powerful and proud man, he wouldn’t have gone down without a fight. Takumi knew that if Kamui turned her back on Nohr that she would have had to cut Xander down with her own sword. He wouldn’t have gone down by his own choice as Ryoma had.

“I see your point. But that doesn’t answer my question.” He corrected his posture, trying to appear more intimidating than he currently was.

Kamui’s jaw tightened slightly, her purring turning into a slow grumble.

“You wouldn’t believe me.” She laid her head against her torso.

Takumi’s hand stroked against her neck, her scales folding under the cold fingers. He moved his body to sit up as much as he could with her tail keeping him in place.

“Try me,” He demanded softly.

The dragon gave a sigh that sounded more like a tie between a grunt and a snarl. Her wings folded closer to her body, pulling him closer.

“I honestly believed that I could finally win their acceptance.”

Takumi’s jaw went slack, his fingers curling together.

“Win…their acceptance?”

“My Nohrian siblings always doubted what I could do. I wasn’t someone they could trust, I was just someone they had to protect.”

“I always thought that you loved their attention.”

“Takumi, I was raised away from everybody else in a smelly old fortress that I couldn’t ever leave. My siblings coddling me and babying me was the only kind of love I knew.”

The ghost laid his head against her side, her mighty heartbeat drumming away under his ear.

“What changed?” He asked.

“The war,” She murmured.

Takumi pulled up his legs to lay full against Kamui, his Fujin Yumi sitting cradled between her skin and his knees. He drummed his fingers against her scales.

“So, the mighty Kamui is insecure.”

“No, its more of I have an inferiority complex,” She responded with ease.

Takumi laughed out loud again, this time his laughter was lighter and not so full of bitterness. The irony of his sister’s situation brought her down from her pedestal that Mikoto and his Hoshidan siblings had put her on for all those years.

“You aren’t the only one,” He whispered.

Kamui nuzzled the side of his head with her snout. She didn’t need to speak to let him know that she knew.

“Well, I can’t say that I agree with your decision. In fact, you are still an idiot.”

Kamui folded her wing over his head, providing him shade from the darkened skies that threatened to pour rain on them.

“But, at least I understand you better now,” Takumi murmured.

Kamui snorted into his hair, her heartbeat slowing as her tail moved comfortably against his side like a blanket.

His answer was all that she needed.


	10. Chapter 10: Resignation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Gather around my children because Petals is about to take you on a one-way ticket to Painsville :)
> 
> Warning: Cussing and Emotional Damage.

“Oh my dearest Kamui, I’m so happy we get to have a day to ourselves!”

The eldest princess of Nohr clapped her hands together in glee; she was positively aglow with happiness. The picnic they had with their entire family had been nice, but Camilla had but looking for a reason to have Kamui all to herself. The dragon princess scratched the back of her head, a faint tinge of red dotting her pale cheeks.

“Its just a walk along the lake’s shore Big Sister,” She murmured.

“Oh but my dear its just going to be the two of us!” Camilla replied joyously.

Kamui’s ears twitched at the sound of a very familiar snort, Takumi was peering at the two princesses. His back leaning against the nearby wall and his Fujin Yumi strapped to his back like always. He was wearing a lazy smirk at Camilla’s obvious obliviousness to his presence.

“Well, she is partially right,” He admitted with a halfhearted shrug.

Kamui ignored her younger brother, her eyes only flickering briefly to silently tell him off before she focused back on Camilla. The lavender haired princess was muttering to herself about what was appropriate to wear. Imagining the elder princess in anything but that rather…risqué armor she tended to wear made Kamui hot under the collar. She couldn’t tell if Camilla’s inherent seductiveness was just a clever ploy or if it was actually genuine on her part.

“Big Sister maybe I should step out,” She suggested.

“Oh darling no! It's perfectly fine!” Camilla waved her hand idly, her front side buried in the gigantic wardrobe near her bed.

The woman reached behind her and removed the nightshirt that she had worn the previous night. Her bare back greeted the other two in the room, Kamui automatically glancing at her younger brother. Takumi’s face was turning greyer, his shoulders stiffening when he caught sight of Camilla pulling a purple bra from the wardrobe. Kamui launched into action, grabbing him by the shoulders and covering his eyes with her spare hand.

“I’m going to wait outside!” She announced before pushing Takumi out the doors by his shoulder blades.

She heaved a deep sigh when the doors slammed shut behind her.

Takumi’s eyes were still wide as saucers, his face frozen in a mixture of surprise and embarrassment.

“Earth to Takumi,” Kamui called as she tapped the side of his head with her knuckles.

“…Does she always wear such big undergarments?” He asked.

Kamui’s face flushed briefly, she had plenty of knowledge about Camilla’s “assets.” After all, the pair used to spend countless hours in the astral castle’s hot springs when they were marching to war.

“Yes.” She kept her voice neutral; there was no reason to arouse any more curiosity from her younger brother.

“You aren’t as big as her,” Takumi observed.

“Excuse me, but a boy like you should not be looking at his sister's body," She accused with a pointed finger.

“Hey! That was an accident!” He huffed.

“Yes, but you were the one was shoving his head through doors unannounced.”

“That was one time!”

Kamui glanced momentarily at the doors, hoping in her heart that Camilla wouldn’t pop her head out and ask her who she was talking to.

“I need to go get dressed,” She stated before making her way back to her room.

“What about….her?” Takumi floated behind her, the reluctance in his voice obvious.

“Her name is Camilla,” Kamui said gently.

“The Nohrian Princess.” Takumi crossed his arms stubbornly.

Kamui sighed lightly; the nearby scones of fire highlighting her hair and making her eyes glimmer sadly in the shadows.

“I’m a Nohrian princess as well,” She stated.

Takumi quickly floated in front of her, a grim frown on his face and his amber irises clouded in determination.

“You were a Hoshidan princess first,” He countered.

“Yes, I was.” Kamui kept her tone plain; she really didn’t want to get into an argument with him.

“You still are,” He grunted stubbornly.

“Only to you Takumi,” She sighed.

The former prince of Hoshido furrowed his brow in confusion, what did she mean by that? Sure, his memories of what occurred after the war was fuzzy. He had woken up back in Hoshido after Hinoka had already become Queen. But he remembered that Hinoka was already embracing her position with ease, Hoshido was recovering slowly but surely. Even Sakura had returned to her occupation of helping the injured, despite the darkness that had enveloped over her kind heart.

“Hinoka revoked my lineage,” Kamui explained.

“What? That doesn’t sound like her,” He frowned.

“She disowned me.” The dragon princess’s shoulders sagged; revealing the truth like this always left a burning hole in her chest.

“I thought you were banned from Hoshido just for your safety.”

“That’s the official reason. But do you really think anybody over there would have anything to do with me after what I caused?”

Takumi couldn’t give his sister an answer; once again her logic was sound and left no room for doubt. If it had been him who had taken the throne as King he surely would have disowned Kamui with ease. He couldn’t say that the idea of pursuing the death penalty on her was out of the realm of possibilities either.

“You shouldn’t call me by a title I no longer possess.”

“Well I’m certainly not going to call you by your proper title.” Takumi outright refused to call her a Nohrian princess. She was still just Kamui to him, his extremely stupid older sister who didn’t deserve to be called royalty.

Or at least that was the lie he constantly told himself. Inside his heart of hearts, he secretly hoped that he would have enough strength to acknowledge what she truly was to him.

“That’s fine by me. I’m not a full member of the Nohrian court either,” Kamui shrugged.

As Kamui entered her quarters to prepare for the day, Takumi stayed behind silently stewing in his thoughts. The firelight provided by the nearby torches glittered through him, his image flickering briefly as a reflection of his inner emotion. Kamui was an infuriating enigma. She was a kind soul with a silver tongue that could rip open your heart. She was intensely naïve with an eye settled in reality. Her heart was always yearning for acceptance, and yet she never pushed beyond the boundaries that people asked her not to cross. She was extremely gifted and yet she had the insecurities that only he could admittedly match.

“Kamui, just who the hell are you?” He whispered irritably as he watched the flames reach forlornly towards the stone ceiling.

********

About an hour later, Camilla was seen in the foyer of the castle with her retainers. She was dressed in a rather modest tunic and leggings much to Kamui’s surprise. The only item of regality was the princess circlet she always wore in her hair. Selena and Beruka were casually chatting with their mistress. Neither of the retainers appeared too thrilled to be leaving the safety of the castle for the day. Then again Selena wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around, and Beruka was just as emotionless as Camilla’s zombie wyvern.

“Well aren’t they just the life of the party,” Takumi retorted as he floated closely at her side.

Kamui lightly shoved his shoulder causing the ghost to let out an undignified squeak. She ignored his irritated glare and approached the trio of women. Camilla’s smile widened when she noticed her adoptive sister and waved her over.

“Dear, where are your retainers?” Camilla asked.

“Kaze and Jakob are currently fighting over what to pack,” Kamui replied.

“Pack? Sweetie, we are just going for a walk.”

“That’s what I told Jakob. But you know how he gets.”

“Ah yes. I’m guessing your ninja is trying to persuade him?”

The sound of a male’s muffled protests could be heard from down the hall. The women and one ghost glanced over at the green haired ninja that silently approached. Over his shoulders was a very irritated butler with tape constricting his mouth. Kaze smiled at Kamui and bowed his head, a small picnic basket clutched in his free hand.

“Jakob and I didn’t really see eye to eye.” He moved his head to the side indicating the butler who was trying to remove the tape.

“I guess he lost then,” Kamui sighed as she took the basket from him.

“Ugh, your boys are so violent!” Selena growled.

Kamui narrowed her gaze on the red-headed retainer, the woman grimacing at the anger being directed at her. Camilla maneuvered in front of her retainer and tried to keep the tension from boiling over.

“Well then! Shall we head out?” She cheered.

Kaze let go of Jakob, the butler grumbling unpleasantly as he landed lightly on his feet. Kamui glanced at Takumi, the ghost too busy watching the colorful cast of characters to sense her intentions.

“Give me a second Sister. I forgot my Yato.” Kamui ran off towards her room.

“Hurry up darling! It’s going to get dark soon!”

Kamui grabbed the Grim Yato from its place by her vanity. She ignored the tempered burning in her wrist from holding the guard, and she slung it through her belt. Takumi watched her closely; he still found it incredibly odd that the Yato that had chosen her of all people was causing her any pain. Divine weapons only did that when they rejected the person who wasn’t their intended master. He never heard of a divine weapon rejecting a master before.

“Why does it hate you?” He couldn’t keep his curiosity down.

“Maybe because I used it for unjust reasons.” Kamui shrugged, she wasn’t entirely certain herself why the sacred sword tried to harm her.

“Then maybe you should have chosen differently.”

Kamui pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a huffy breath. Sometimes out of everything that made up Takumi as a person, it was his constant bullheadedness and arrogance that got her.

“I already told you once. It wouldn’t have made a difference.”

“Well, at least Ryoma and I would still be alive,” Takumi huffed.

The princess swept her fingers through her hair and rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. This was one of those times that the best action to make was just to walk away. But for once, Kamui refused to back down and stood directly in front of her brother.

“And one of my other siblings would have died,” She stated.

“So? At least our siblings would still be together.”

Takumi shoved his hands through his massive sleeves; he couldn’t believe that Kamui was STILL defending her Nohrian siblings. She had admitted to him that she felt they didn’t treat her as an equal, but she continued to advocate for them as people! Was there really no way to communicate his distrust and dislike of them?

“Your siblings. Not mine.” Kamui’s voice dropped an octave.

“They are your siblings,” He fired back.

“Not anymore.” Kamui turned away from him. The solemn acceptance of her fate causing a chord to snap in Takumi’s chest.

“Oh, my gods Kamui! Why do you do that?!”

Takumi grabbed Kamui by the shoulder and forced her to face him. His gloved fingers dug into her skin, and the fierce cold he emanated seeped into her bones. The colors that violently swirled between them were as dark as they felt.

They were maroon and brown.

Muddy shades of blood that ran through her veins and had bled from his.

“Ryoma, Hinoka, and Sakura all loved you! Why can’t you admit that?!”

Kamui’s carmine eyes were dead and her taut cheeks were as pale as glass.

“Because I trampled on their love. I turned my backs on them.”

“I know that! But don’t you dare tell me they didn’t love you even as you faced each one of them on the battlefield!”

“If Ryoma loved me then why didn’t he let me bring medicine to Elise?”

Takumi’s grip faltered. He hadn’t known that Ryoma, the calmest and wisest man he knew, would do something like that.

“He was so desperate to bring me back, he would have let my little sister die just to drag me back where I’m not welcome.”

The ghost growled in frustration, he was seriously missing the happy and optimistic woman who had traveled through the halls of Castle Shirasagi.

“He didn’t want to harm you! He thought you were being controlled!”

“If Hinoka loved me, then why was she convinced that I had become a slave of Nohr?”

Takumi glared at Kamui’s leveled gaze. He could see the crystalline tears forming at the base of her irises.

“She didn’t love me enough to even acknowledge that I was strong enough to make my own choice.”

“She worked her ASS off to bring you home! Don’t you see what you PUT her through?!” He countered.

“Sakura loved a Kamui that never existed.” The sharp tone that talked about his beloved little sister was the last straw.

The former prince of Hoshido cracked the leather of his glove across Kamui’s pallid cheek. A resounding slap echoing through the otherwise silent chamber.

“DON’T YOU EVER SPEAK OF SAKURA LIKE THAT!” He yelled as he pointed an accusing finger at her chest.

“SHE LOVED YOU EVEN WHEN SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHO YOU WERE! AND YOU SMASHED HER HOPES WITH YOUR IDIOCY!” Takumi could feel the anger building up in his core. The hatred and sadness he had felt for the family she had forced him to lose finally opening the floodgates.

Colorless tears ran down his grey cheeks in a rush.

“IF YOU HAD JUST CHOSEN YOUR REAL HOME! WE COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS FUCKING WAR WITHOUT LOSING RYOMA! WE COULD HAVE MADE FUCKING PEACE!” He snarled.

Kamui didn’t move from when he had slapped her, the tears that had built up in her eyes were a reflection of his own. They curved delicately around the wide handprint he had left on her flesh. The dragon princess didn’t rub at the tender wound; instead, she grabbed Takumi by the wrists and shoved him into the nearby wall.

“IF I HAD CHOSEN HOSHIDO THEN XANDER OR ELISE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! CAMILLA OR EVEN LEO COULD HAVE DIED BY MY FUCKING HAND!” She swore as her dragon stone glowed fiercely.

“THEY DON’T LOVE YOU LIKE WE COULD HAVE!” Takumi’s voice echoed sharply in the heavy air. His words shoving a sharp knife into her already wounded heart.

“What would you know about love? You never loved me.”

Kamui’s voice became just a mere whisper. All of the anger in her body left her, only exhaustion remained.

Kamui shoved him away from her body. Her shoulders were lax and her hand only lightly brushing against her bitter tears.

“You are only around me because you have no other choice.”

Takumi rubbed his wrists, her grip had been so hard that the skin would have bruised if it weren’t for his ghostly predicament.

“At least my Nohrian siblings and other Hoshidan siblings were willing to give me a chance.” Kamui gave a small sob before coughing.

“Kamui, I…” Takumi was already regretting letting his emotions get the better of him. He lifted a hand towards her face in hopes of easing the bruise.

“Don’t.” Kamui moved away from him. Her face turning sharply as if he was burning her.

“Kamui, I didn’t mean to sound so sharp. B-but your constant denial of how much the others in Hoshido loved you was just so infuriating!” Takumi huffed; he tugged at the base of his ponytail.

Kamui didn’t respond, she just wiped the rest of her tears away from her face and straightened her body.

“L-look I d-didn’t mean for it come out like that.” Takumi tried to reason.

Kamui glanced up at him, but the look in her eyes was enough to make the ghost flinch.

She was looking right through him.

“Neither did I Takumi,” Kamui said softly.

The princess put a hand to her cheek; the bruise was already turning a very sickly shade of purple and blue.

“Sister?” Takumi tried to get her attention, something about her resigned tone didn’t sit well with him.

Kamui didn’t acknowledge him; she stared straight ahead and made her way to the doors.

And in the process, she walked right through him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D The train hasn't stopped yet.


	11. Chapter 11: Prince Vs. Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Time for Takumi and Leo chapter. Oh and more angst :).

As the second prince of Nohr, Leo often convinced himself that being royalty meant having dignity and patience. A soldier with royal blood must stand above his men, and be an example that they must follow. He must not allow his emotions to control him; in fact, HE is the one who controls his emotions. Yes, a prince has a right and a duty to be studious, righteous, mature, and most of all emotionally in control.

That’s what he thought, right before he saw the dead prince of Hoshido rushing out of Kamui’s room behind his sister.

“KAMUI!” Takumi yelled at the top of his non-existent lungs.

Kamui didn’t respond, her head was kept forward and it appeared as if she didn’t hear the ghost’s cries.

Leo stopped in the middle of the hall, he was just on his way to apologize to her for the way he treated her last night. And he was going to apologize ONLY to Kamui. There was no way in seven hells that he was going to try and make amends with a racist Hoshidan who didn’t even have a pulse.

“Kamui! You can’t ignore me!” Takumi yelled as he tried to keep up with the dragon princess.

Leo raised a brow in curiosity, was his sister really ignoring the ghost?

His theory was proven wrong when Takumi tried to grab her wrist, only for his hand to phase through Kamui’s skin.

“No, damn it!” Takumi hissed.

Kamui wasn’t ignoring Takumi she literally couldn’t see him.

“Sister,” Leo called.

Kamui stopped in her tracks, her shoulders hunching tiredly as she glanced over. Her carmine eyes were full of sorrow, and her face was puffy from her crying. Leo stepped closer, it was only when he was within arms reach did he see the massive purple bruise on her cheek.

“Sister…what happened?” Leo spoke lowly.

“Takumi hit me,” She replied.

Leo’s brown irises widened considerably, he glared at the ghost who was standing behind his sister. Kamui might have been annoying at times, but NOBODY had the right to hit her. Gods, if only he knew a spell to dig Takumi’s dead body up and strangle his corpse.

“…Did you defend yourself?” He growled.

“Of course Leo,” Kamui responded with a glare of her own.

If there was anything that he loved the most of his adoptive sister, it was that even in emotional distress Kamui had a biting fire under her smile. She wasn’t afraid to step in and confront Leo for his misdeeds. Her inherent trusting of others might have done more harm than good, but she still had a decent head on her shoulders.

“I can’t injure a spirit,” Kamui stated.

“True, but why were you two fighting?”

Kamui glanced down at her bare feet; she couldn’t find the courage to tell him.

“Sister, please tell me,” Leo implored.

That trick never got old; he always found a way to get her to confess. And all it took was opening his softer insides a bit.

“We were arguing over which family loved me more.”

“Well, of course, we-” Kamui’s glare stopped him from finishing.

“Leo please, not now,” Kamui whispered.

Kamui folded back her shoulders and rubbed her wrist across her cheeks.

“At least let me hide the bruise,” Leo offered.

His sister did the one thing he didn’t know he wanted the most. She smiled.

“No, I’ll take care of Takumi when I return.”

Takumi who had been floating behind her spread his arms out in a dramatic wave. He was shouting indignantly, trying to gain Kamui’s attention even with the dragon princess unable to hear him.

“I have to return to Camilla. We will speak later.” Kamui smiled again.

Leo raised a hand in a halfhearted wave; he really needed to confront Kamui about why she was hiding her pain. The conquest of Hoshido hadn’t been pleasant for any of his siblings, but it had taken the heaviest toll on her. Ignoring her pain and trying to smile was not the way for Kamui to heal.

“Kamui would you just hear me out?!” Takumi cried when she passed him by.

Kamui disappeared into the corridor of darkness, her white hair is the only faint feature that both royal boys could see. Takumi watched her back shrink, his shoulders sagging in defeat.

“She can’t hear you,” Leo spoke up.

The ghost glared at the Nohrian prince, his amber irises heated and furious.

“What did you do?” He growled.

“I didn’t do anything. It was you.” Leo crossed his arms.

The ghost wrenched behind his back and drew back his divine bow. The Fujin Yumi filled the air with a sharp and cold wind. A blazing blue arrow pointed directly at Leo’s unarmored chest. Takumi’s eyes were dark and full of tears that failed to blend in with his skin. For a mere moment, Leo could swear he saw a different color shifting in those amber depths.

Bright red, the color of hell itself.

“You and Kamui both hurt each other. That damaged your connection.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Takumi’s eyes narrowed.

“Why else do you think she can see you fool.” Leo rolled his eyes.

The ghost drew back his arm and let go, the blue arrow ricocheted past Leo’s ear and hit the stone wall behind him. Takumi drew back his bow again and took a step closer.

“Don’t make me ask again,” He threatened.

“Or what? You’ll kill me? That would guarantee you never pass on.”

Leo flipped gingerly through the pages of his Brynhildr, the familiar sense of magic thrumming in his veins. He clenched his hand together and watched the vines try to outgrow his hand.

“Kamui can’t see you anymore because she’s closed her heart.”

“What? Why would she do that?!” Takumi yelled.

The two princes squared off against each other, both pairs of judgmental eyes daring the other to make a move.

“She’s given up on you,” Leo replied smoothly.

Takumi snarled and released another arrow. Leo raised his hand and deflected it with his sacred vines. The power of life and magic coalesced together to form a protective barrier around the prince. He watched as Takumi tried to shoot dozens of more arrows, each time the wind produced objects embedding in another tree he created. Leo raised his hand and let a tree branch pin Takumi to the nearby wall.

Takumi growled and allowed his body to phase through the trees, the magic not having any effect on his spirit. He bent his bow backward and quickly rolled to the side, the arrow managed to graze Leo’s cheek before disappearing. The prince of Nohr raised his hand and tried to wrap the ghost’s feet in vines. But the ghost merely shrugged them off, his image flickering as he raised his bow higher.

“She should have never chosen you!” Takumi roared.

“She made her choice!” Leo countered as he forced a clump of trees to surround his opponent.

The ghost’s eyes glimmered dangerously in the firelight, his teeth gnashing together as he gripped his bow to his chest. Leo could tell that his emotions were getting to him; it was the exact thing that he had warned Kamui about. Without her here to reestablish the bond, Takumi was a dangerous spirit.

He had the potential to harm anybody in the castle, especially the Nohrian siblings.

Leo focused his attention on the spell book; he had one spell he could use to stop the ghost from harming himself or others.

“We would have been there for her,” Takumi grumbled.

The Nohrian prince started to chant under his breath, he couldn’t let the dead prince of Hoshido hear his spell. This was the only chance he had to cast it; if Takumi went after him again he would be defenseless.

“My family fought to bring her home. And what did she do? She turned her back on us.” Takumi sank to the floor, his hands around his bow going slack.

Leo’s heartbeat quickened, he watched as the ghost slowly let go of his bow. The Fujin Yumi lost it’s light, the golden wood going dull without its master. Takumi glanced at his bow and tossed it away from him.

“I give up,” He whispered.

Takumi pulled his knees up to his body and wrapped his hands around his clothed thighs. Dark and very thick streams of smog started to emanate from his image, Leo paused in his chanting. The miasma that surrounded Takumi was extremely familiar to the other prince. He started to chant at a quicker pace, he had to stop Takumi from succumbing to possession.

Kamui would be extremely heartbroken if he failed. He couldn’t do that to his sister; he wouldn’t be able to face her if Takumi ended up as a puppet.

“Are you really that weak?” Leo taunted.

He had to get Takumi to fight back; the dead prince’s pride was the only thing that could buy him time.

Takumi responded by glancing up at him, his amber irises starting to grow darker as the red slowly climbed.

“I thought you were stronger than that.” Leo chanted.

He could feel the strong spell building in his chest if only Takumi could hold on for a bit longer.

“But of course what should I expect of a weak prince?” He sneered.

Takumi’s eyes flashed, a brief scowl crossing his face. The purple miasma stopped its descent upon the ghost. Good, his pride hadn’t completely vanished.

“What did you say,” Takumi growled.

“You heard me. You are a weakling,” Leo snorted.

Takumi’s eyes darkened, the red took over his irises and the purple miasma gripped onto his spirit. Leo only had one chance to use the spell; he had to wait for the window to open before he could strike.

“SHUT UP!” Takumi screamed as he gripped the Fujin Yumi.

The weapon didn’t respond, the wood stayed dull even as its chosen master tried to rip Leo’s heart out with an arrow.

“YOU NOHRIAN SCUMS ARE THE REASON KAMUI ISN’T WITH HER REAL FAMILY!” Takumi’s voice was corrupting, the dark tone of his previous possession taking hold.

The ghost forced the darkness to race down his arms; he tossed the Fujin Yumi to the side and summoned a new weapon. The darkness took on the form of a malformed, sinewy piece of wood with darkness as its arrows. Leo swallowed thickly against his fear; the flashes of their previous fight coming back to him.

It was the Skaadi, the same weapon that had almost taken Kamui’s life.

Takumi’s posture went slack, he bit his lip and his feet remained in place even while his body was trying to lean forward.

“Ngh…I won't let you…” His voice came out painfully, but it was clear that he was trying to fight against possession.

The magic in Leo’s veins finally reached the threshold, he clamped his hand against the book. He had to tempt Takumi to fire at him again, but that risked the other prince completely succumbing to his darkness. It was a chance the blonde prince had to take, he was a master mage surely he could accomplish his plan.

Or he could become a human pincushion and die trying.

Fighting back his fear, he clenched his hand and used the phrase that he knew would push Takumi over the edge. Gods did putting the ghost make him feel disgusting as a human, but it was necessary to save the former prince.

“There is no place in this world for a prince like you,” He uttered.

Takumi’s head snapped up.

“You bring shame to the Hoshidan royal line,” Leo spoke darkly.

Bright, fresh, and very clear tears ran down the ghost’s pale face. He screamed bloody murder and raised the Skaadi. Leo turned his body and cast the spell, the magic hitting Takumi directly as his arrow plunged into Leo’s side. The ghost drew backward; the light that his rival produced pushed back the miasma. The bright red in his eyes drew back, and the light raced across his limbs.

“BIND!” Leo commanded.

He forced his magic towards the wayward Fujin Yumi, the bow brightening as his spell took effect. Takumi’s face went slack as he realized what the Nohrian royal had done. He tried to fight against the light that was drawing him towards his divine weapon, but the spell was too strong for him to shake off. His feet dragged noiselessly across the floor before his image disappeared completely. The Fujin Yumi grew brighter for a split second, and then the wood dulled again as it thudded onto the ground.

Takumi’s spirit had been sealed inside his weapon.

Leo collapsed onto his knees, his Brynhildr falling limply from his hand. He put his hand on his side, a bright red blossom already blooming against his rib. He managed to huff a sigh and shakily climbed towards the fallen bow. The spell he cast was meant to keep Takumi’s spirit safe, but at the cost of the ghost’s previous freedom.

The dull wood was cold against his hands, and there was no smell of fresh air that greeted him. Kamui was going to be furious with what he had done. But was anything about this any different? His dragon of a sister was never able to understand the damage that Leo had endured.

He was manipulative and intelligent because he had to be.

“I didn’t mean what I said,” He murmured as he tucked the Fujin Yumi under his arm.

Takumi’s consciousness wouldn’t be able to answer for a few hours; his spirit was recovering from the spell. Maybe that was why Leo allowed himself this temporary moment of weakness.

“I’m sure we would have been friends if we met differently.” He smirked tiredly as he managed to drag himself back to his quarters.

He tossed the Brynhildr and the Fujin Yumi on his desk. The two divine weapons didn’t react to each other as they did during the battle. Oddly, when he was facing Takumi before his sacred tome had resonated with the fallen bow. There were no brilliant fireworks or some kind of power struggle like one would expect. Instead, the two weapons were trying to unite. He could remember struggling to keep a hold on his book as he threw the spell at the ghostly prince.

If these two weapons could resonate like that then what about the Yato? Or Ryoma’s Rajinto? Or even Xander’s Siegfried?

“There must be a reason why Nohr and Hoshido have two sacred wielders each.” He grumbled as he tossed his bloodied shirt into the fire.

Leo drank of his spare vulenaries, the strange medicine running down his chin as he forced the bitter taste away. He fought back his gag reflex and tossed the empty vile into the fire. His wound closed up slowly, the bleeding wouldn’t dissolve but at least he wouldn’t risk an infection.

“You and I have a lot in common,” He murmured as he glanced at the Fujin Yumi.

“It’s too bad we never got to find out.” Leo shrugged as he donned a new shirt.

What would have happened if Kamui had sided with Hoshido? Would she have killed Xander? Would Leo have been the one who had fallen into possession instead of Takumi? What if Camilla went down fighting to bring Kamui back, or if Elise was captured by those nasty Hoshidans?

The second prince of Nohr sank against his desk chair and brewed himself some fresh tea. The questions were endless, and he had no answer for the possibilities. One thing was certain though, Takumi loved Kamui more than the ghost would admit. Maybe that was the reason that he had taken her betrayal so hard.

“My sister loves you.” He fingered the divine yumi while bringing his tea to his lips.

“Sometimes it seems she loved you more than she did me.”

Leo shook his head and leaned the legs of his chair back against the floor. He put his feet on his desk and sipped at his tea. Kamui made it perfectly clear that she loved him with all of her heart. She loved Takumi as well given that she had been incredibly hurt when he came across the after results of their fight. His sister couldn’t choose between her two families, and if she had been given a second chance Leo was sure she wouldn’t have chosen either of them.

“You are going to be awfully grumpy when you wake up," He grumbled as he ran his fingers along the Fujin Yumi’s spine.

Unbeknownst to him, inside the bow, the spirit of Takumi stirred briefly. Unconsciously he could tell that someone was near, but it wasn’t the person that he was connected to. This person’s hands were warm, but it wasn’t that intense warmth he had grown used to. The spirit stopped stirring and fell back into deeper sleep, his mind would only awaken when the person he wanted to see would come back.

He dreamed of flashes of alabaster hair, steel grey wings, and that searing warmth that always produced fascinating colors when they touched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I ever say that Possessed!Takumi is fascinating and painful to write? Because he is.


	12. Chapter 12: Mighty Elise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I’ve had some people curious about the seal that Leo put on Takumi last chapter. So how about we explore that a bit more in this chapter. Kamui will return in the next chapter with a new character :).

When Takumi’s consciousness finally fought back against the heavy trap of sleep, he couldn’t tell where he was or what happened. His mind tried to snap to attention, but the previous emotional torture he had endured left him empty inside. His instincts were dulled, his emotions were slow, and he could barely recall what had occurred. He would have gone back to sleep if not for one crucial fact.

He couldn’t open his eyes.

The former prince of Hoshido tried to panic, but he couldn’t feel anything or see anything. His fear spiked, and he tried to scream for help but he had no voice to scream with. He tried to fight back against whatever was holding him, but there was nothing to hold him and he had no arms to struggle with. His sadness and anger climbed higher, but he couldn’t cry or yell profanities.

He was completely alone in what he assumed was his head.

Takumi utterly hated being alone, he didn’t like the feeling of definite solitude and being in the company of his own thoughts. Sure he might have enjoyed his privacy away from his family, but he had always taken refuge in the constant noise they provided. Whenever he was in his room reading or at the archery range practicing, the constant presence of company kept him sane. Whether it be Hinoka’s naginata scraping against wood, or Ryoma’s confident footsteps as he strolled the halls. Sakura’s gentle voice as she sewed or took care of the sick. Even Oboro and Hinata’s constant bickering was enough to make him smile. He was never truly alone when he walked the castle grounds or patrolled with his Hoshidan army.

Now all that greeted him was a perpetual darkness that lacked any warmth or cold. Hell, he didn’t even have a form to call his own in this place; he was just a minor consciousness who felt no pain or sensation. And he absolutely hated the lack of feedback.

He was about to curl in on himself before something caught his attention.

A gentle and very bright warmth filled him to the brim.

It was hardly the searing warmth that Kamui provided when he touched her, but it was very similar. The warmth worked its way through his tender mind as if it was trying to heal the emotional damage he had endured. He couldn’t help but reach out to it, desperately seeking some way to ask for help. Appearances be damned, he didn’t even have a body to feel conscious about!

“Oh, you poor thing.” A young girl’s voice broke the silence.

The warmth grew brighter as if the person talking to him was holding him against their chest. Takumi tried to push his thoughts towards her; for once he was glad he lacked a voice. The amount of pain and embarrassment he felt would probably have made his body roll in its grave. That is if his body wasn’t a bunch of freaking water droplets in the sky right now.

/ Please… / He desperately thought, his hope skyrocketing that she would be able to hear him.

“Huh? Who said that?” The young girl sounded so confused.

But it worked! She had responded that meant she could help him get out of here!

/ Please…I need help… / Takumi was beyond caring that he was pleading.

“Help? Where are you?” The young girl asked.

/ Here… / He replied weakly.

“Here? You mean in this bow?” The girl asked softly.

Bow? Ah, that must have meant that the Nohrian prince from before had sealed him inside his Fujin Yumi. He really needed to think of a way to get that bastard back. Nobody manipulated his emotions like that and got away without damage.

/ Its called the Fujin Yumi, / Takumi corrected her.

“Oh yeah! The weapon that pineappley prince had!” The girl said excitedly.

Pineappley? Of all the things to call him, she resorted to comparing him to a piece of fruit?!

/ I am not a pineapple, / He grunted.

“Oh! Are you the prickly prince?” The girl asked with a laugh.

Now she was calling him prickly? The nerve!

/ My name is Takumi, / He retorted.

“Yes, that’s it! I like your name,” The girl giggled.

If he had cheeks he could literally tell that he would be greyer than he normally was. This girl’s emotions were so pure and her mood could make a complete 180. In a lot of ways, she reminded him of an energetic Kamui. Which meant she had to be very young if she didn’t possess the inherent exhaustion that the other Nohrians he saw had.

“How did you get in there?” The girl asked.

If she was talking to him, then that meant she must have come across the Fujin Yumi. But last time he checked, that blasted Nohrian prince had taken his weapon. Surely, the stupid blonde would have kept the divine weapon somewhere safe where a normal person wouldn’t be able to reach.

/ That damned Nohrian prince put me in here, / He grumbled.

“Prince? Do you mean Leo?” The girl asked.

/ Whatever his name is. / Takumi refused to say his name.

“But, why would my brother put you in here? Aren’t you supposed to be dead?”

/ I can’t remember, / Takumi murmured.

“Did he summon you from the dead? Like a zombie?!”

/ No. I was already a ghost. /

The girl went silent for a moment, the warmth surrounding the former prince of Hoshido kept him submerging himself in his own self-hatred. The girl’s light flickered before she spoke up.

“You couldn’t pass on huh?” She asked kindly.

/ Pretty much, / Takumi admitted.

“I’m sorry.” The girl tried to comfort him. Her warmth increasing gently and decreasing the remnants of his pain.

/ You must the youngest Nohrian princess ,/ Takumi observed.

“How’d you know?” She asked.

/ You emit the same warmth and gentle nature that my sister has. /

Gods did he miss Sakura the most out of all of his siblings. The youngest princess of Hoshido had been his constant companion since they were little. She was gentle, sweet, and held a fire deep in her soul like her older sister and older brothers. The last time he had seen her was right before he had faced off against Kamui on the Great Wall of Suzanoh. She had begged him to not go and pursue the battle, she was deathly afraid that he was going to succumb to whatever was causing his massive headaches.

In the end, she had been right, he should have listened to the best healer in Hoshido. Sakura may be small, but she knew what she was talking about when it came to caring for the sick.

/ You hadn’t been at the battle, / He spoke up.

“Actually I had been with the injured troops. I’m not good enough at magic yet to join my siblings in battle,” The princess admitted.

/ You hated the war?/ Takumi couldn’t help it, her innocent nature and general optimism reminded him so much of Sakura. He couldn’t bring himself to treat her with disdain.

“I never understood why it was necessary. All those people died because my father ordered them to,” The princess replied sadly.

/ What’s your name? / He asked.

“Oh, my name is Elise,” The princess revealed.

Elise grew quiet again, her light dimming slightly from her apparent sadness. Takumi’s hatred for Nohr was far from being resolved, how could a country subject such a young girl to war? And the youngest princess for that matter! If there was anything he could admit about the older siblings, it was that they obviously cared for their kin. He barely saw Elise when the invasion of Hoshido happened. But he did remember that she had been there when Kamui had killed him. The look on her childlike face and the horror in her violet eyes were enough to say that even she hadn’t been spared. What kind of so-called king used his own kids like that?

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t save you,” Elise whispered.

/ There was nothing that you could have done, / Takumi said stiffly.

“But still! I’m a healer! It’s my duty to try!” Elise cried.

Takumi sighed to himself, now he really wished he could find some way out of his prison. Even if he barely knew her, the youngest princess of Nohr had been just against the war as he was. He couldn’t imagine what a child like her would have endured from the years of mistreatment by that father of hers.

/ Hey, Elise, / He spoke up reluctantly. He hated relying on help from a Nohrian even if Elise was one of the more innocent ones.

“Yes?” Elise hiccupped. Had she been crying?”

/ You said you can use magic? /

“Barely, but Leo has been training me a lot more lately. He says I have the magic potential to rival even him one day.”

/ Good, then think you can help me? /

“Help you?” He could tell that she was tilting her head.

/ I need to find Kamui. /

“Big Sister? But she left this morning.”

Damn it, why did Kamui have to leave the castle grounds while he was incapacitated? The fight had left him feeling less stable than he had before. It made sense that Kamui had shut him out. But gods did it still hurt not only his pride but his freaking consciousness was biting him in the ass now. Just because he didn’t agree or understand her choice to side with Nohr, did not mean he couldn’t apologize for hitting her right? He was a prince! He should have known better than to hit a woman of all people.

/ Can you take me to her at least? / He asked.

“I could try, but shouldn’t we just wait?”

Takumi was about to snap at Elise’s naivety but something sharp and foreboding caught his attention first. He felt a dismal and foreign emotion that wasn’t his own, but it was clearly calling out to him. It wasn’t Elise who was calling, the foreign emotion was too distant for him to pinpoint. But the slithery and desperate tone that cut at his consciousness told him it was something that he was very familiar with. The emotion was fear, pure unadulterated instinctive fear.

From a great distance away, smothered by Elise’s warmth and the surrounding castle he heard a roar. A draconic roar that resonated with his soul and sent a massive unconscious shiver through his essence.

It was Kamui, and she was in danger.

/ Elise, where did Kamui say she was going? /

“Down by the lake, why?”

/ I need to get to her. / He tried his hardest to keep calm.

“Why is she in danger?”

The fear that he could barely feel was getting deeper; along with it, Takumi could sense sorrow and an unwillingness to fight. What kind of opponent was Kamui facing that she was reluctant to battle? He tried to push against whatever seal the Nohrian prince had used on him. But there were no borders he could touch or even reach, he was trapped in a warm void.

/Yes! Can you try to break the seal?/ He asked.

“I’m sorry but I don’t know what my brother did.”

Takumi instinctively let out an exasperated groan; it was just his luck that he would come across someone with such massive potential who couldn’t use it. The fear and sorrow coming from Kamui were getting stronger. But something was wrong, Kamui wasn’t roaring as she had done before. Instead, he could feel her exhaustion, her reluctance, and acceptance. The acceptance suddenly overpowered all of the other faint emotions he was getting. Finality, Kamui was accepting her death! She was giving up on fighting!

/ Elise please! You have to try something! / He yelled.

The Nohrian princess was obviously taken by surprise at his sudden use of her name. But the warmth surrounding him increased dramatically from her happiness. It was like the sun was embracing him.

“B-but what can I do?” She stuttered.

/ Anything! Please! Kamui is in danger! / He pleaded.

Leave it to his manipulative and idiotic sister to give up on life. How dare Kamui think she could quit so easily. It was her fault that he was like this, that Hoshido was in shambles, and that Mikoto was gone. If she wanted his forgiveness then she needed to learn to face her consequences. Even if that meant being haunted by her little brother for all eternity. Honestly, the longer he was with Kamui the more Takumi didn’t mind that option.

Bonding with and haunting his sister and taking his time getting revenge on Leo might not be the afterlife. But if push came to shove he had to admit that there were worse fates he could have received.

“I could try to break the bow?” Elise suggested.

/ It’s a divine weapon. It won’t break like that! / Takumi snapped.

“I’m sorry!” Elise cried.

Takumi couldn’t think straight; he was being bombarded by the confliction and sorrow that Kamui was facing. Somehow, their connection had gotten stronger even after she shut him out. If that connection was lost, if Kamui was lost, then he would never be able to move on. Even worse than that, he would have let Mikoto down for not protecting or at least helping his older sister.

/ Think of something else! / He pleaded.

“I don’t know! Leo’s magic is too complex!”

The ghostly prince’s anger finally reached a breaking point, he did the only he could to express his frustration and uselessness. He screamed loudly and deeply, the sound being mental only. What good was he if he couldn’t even save fucking Kamui of all people?!

“Takumi please stop! You are so loud!” Elise cried.

The prince couldn’t stop screaming in his own head, even in death he was fucking useless! He failed to protect Hoshido, he failed to save Ryoma, and now he couldn’t save his traitor of a sister?! For fucks sake, he was trapped in a void inside his own divine weapon! What good was he?!

“Takumi calm down!” Elise begged.

His screaming and emotions just got louder and more unbearable. For a moment the thought that the Nohrian prince had been right about him crossed his mind. And all it did was frustrate him further.

Takumi began to thrash around, he couldn’t take it! He screamed furiously and endlessly, his own hearing being drowned out by his mental voice. Something on the outside was tearing, a shot of intense pain ricocheted his trapped soul. He could barely tell that Elise was begging him to stop. Whatever he was doing was obviously affecting her. But he didn’t have the strength to even try, all he could do was let out his rage and sadness.

The tearing sensation got deeper, until the coil that had been tightening finally snapped. The void around Takumi vanished; the warmth that Elise had emitted had been erased. An intense golden light momentarily blinded him, and Elise’s voice stopped begging in desperation.

He was about to start screaming again before a very unfamiliar ache stopped him. His brain was telling him to breathe, forgetting his nature as a ghost he took in a sharp breath. The ache subsided, and the former prince of Hoshido started to breathe easily again.

Wait breathe? Takumi didn’t require breathing anymore!

Takumi blinked his eyes to ease back the brightness, and he furiously searched his surroundings. He was no longer floating in that solitary void; he was back in Leo’s room in Castle Krakenburg. But something felt very off about his form, he had gotten so used to being weightless and cold that the warmth in his body was actually making him sweat. He glanced down at his hands only for a pair of dainty black gloves to meet his eyes.

The ghostly prince let out a scream, but instead of his smooth tenor, he emitted a high-pitched squeak. Something was REALLY wrong with this picture.

Somehow the room around him had shrunk, he had always been a little on the short side but now it felt like he had lost an entire foot. He shot a glance back at the black gloves and bent down further to investigate. Black heels, a black hoop skirt, and a rather girly black blouse adorned his new form. In his left hand, he could tell that he was holding the Fujin Yumi by the way the bow reacted to its master’s presence.

The heaviness leaning against his neck wasn’t unwelcome after all his ponytail was quite heavy when he was still alive. But it was the style of his hair that caught his curiosity. Takumi turned his head slightly to the left, only for a flash of bright yellow to sneak out of his periphery vision.

He tried to scoff, but it only came out as a girly grunt. Takumi impatiently pulled the shock of yellow over his right shoulder. A rather large pigtail greeted him, delicate strands of violet expertly spreading through the shiny strands. Well, it was official; Takumi had gotten out of his prison. But his form was entirely WRONG and not in the body he desired.

“Hey! You stole my body!” Elise whined.

The possessed body of Princess Elise turned its head towards her, the spirit of the princess tapping her foot grumpily against the wooden floor without any impact. Elise pouted and put her hands on her hips. The intensity of Takumi’s screaming and the painful tearing sensation had temporarily blinded her. She had just recently recovered only to see that she was no longer in her body.

Takumi was currently in possession of it, and from the uncharacteristic scowl growing on her face, it was obvious that he wasn’t happy.

“Why did you do that?” She demanded.

“How should I know?” The voice coming from her body’s lips was a little deeper than her normally dulcet chords. It sounded like a cross between a boy’s smooth tenor and her own squeakiness.

“Well give it back!” Elise shoved a hand out in expectation.

“How?! This is the first time this has happened to me!” Takumi snapped.

Elise couldn’t tell if she was supposed to be irritated or intrigued by the very strange appearance of her body staring at her with its arms folded across the chest.

“I don’t know but I want it back!” She retorted.

“If I knew how I would give it back! Trust me this isn’t very comfortable for me!” Takumi complained.

Takumi gripped tighter on the Fujin Yumi, the smaller hands of the princess making the bow feel awkward in his grip. He tuned out Elise’s incessant whining and focused on Kamui’s distress. Somehow he was able to sense and decipher her emotions, did it have something to do with her ability to see him? He closed his eyes and tried to reach out for Kamui’s energy.

What answered back was a powerful pang of hopelessness and finality.

“She’s still alive!” Takumi snapped his head up.

“Big Sister is?! Good, then we can go get Xander!” Elise chirped.

“There’s no time!” Takumi barked as he tied the Fujin Yumi onto his back.

“Hey what are you doing?!” Elise cried as she watched her body dash about the room.

Takumi ignored her and wrenched a spare satchel from Leo’s desk. He shoved open the mage’s wardrobe and found an extra large supply of herbs and medicines. Leave it to the arrogant bookworm to pride himself in experimentation and rituals; Takumi rolled his eyes as he made a mental note. He furiously shoved handfuls of specific herbs into the satchel and stole 3 of Leo’s vulenaries. It was minor payback for shoving him in a fucking bow. He wished he could do more damage, but he couldn’t put Elise through that kind of improper behavior.

“I’m just going to borrow your body for a little bit,” He said to Elise.

“Oh, to save Big Sister?” Elise asked.

“Yes. To save Kamui.” Takumi nodded as he flipped the satchel to rest against his waist.

“Oh isn’t this charming! Kamui has her own prince coming to save her!” Elise cooed as she clapped her hands together.

“What?! You do realize that I am her younger brother right?” Takumi groaned.

The youngest princess of Nohr giggled into her palm, the sight of her body staring at her with a furrowed brow was just too cute. Takumi really was just a kitten beneath his gruff exterior, a gentle and loving kitten that was extremely protective of his siblings. In a way, he reminded her of her older brother Leo, albeit a bit more loud and emotional instead of studious and quiet.

“Maybe but it’s still romantic,” She teased.

Her body sputtered, clutching its hands at its sides and a massive red blush overcoming its cheeks. If anybody else saw her acting this way, Elise could guarantee that Arthur and Effie would shove her into bed for weeks.

“Well, you aren’t going to leave me behind,” She stated.

“I wouldn’t expect any less. You love her,” Takumi countered.

Elise’s violet eyes lit up with a smile, she put her hands behind her back and bent forward to stare right into her own face.

“You love her too.” She smiled.

The only response she got from the boy inside her body was a deeper blush. Takumi put his hands on his chest and puffed his cheeks slightly. He hated to admit it, but the constant contact and conversations with Kamui made him much more comfortable around her. They had a lot in common, even if he still hated her stupidity for choosing Nohr. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope for there to be forgiveness in their future.

“Let's go. We are running out of time,” Takumi stated before running out of the door.

“I’m right behind you!” Elise floated behind him in excitement. He really did care for Kamui, and his refusal to admit just made it that much more clear.

********

Arthur and Effie were searching for their mistress Elise; the princess had disappeared shortly after Camilla’s group had left. She had mentioned something about sensing someone’s pain.

“Do you think she’s in Lord Leo’s room?” Arthur asked.

“Maybe. But her brother left earlier,” Effie replied as she continued to march down the hall.

The door to Lord Leo’s room fell back on its hinges, the dark wood knocking hard against the neighboring stone. Princess Elise shot out on foot, her hands clenched into fists as she made a mad dash in the opposite direction. There was a large satchel of Lord Leo’s vulenaries and herbs on her waist, and some kind of glowing bow on her back.

“IM COMING KAMUI!!” She yelled in a deeper voice than normal.

Effie and Arthur watched their mistress dart down the dark hall, her pigtails tied back against her head like some kind of ponytail. Arthur’s jaw hung limply against his throat, he turned towards Effie and raised a shaky finger.

“Um, did Lady Elise just rob her brother?” He asked.

“Maybe, but if she did it isn’t my business.” Effie shrugged.

Effie clenched her lance and ran after her princess, there was no way Elise was leaving the castle without her protection. Arthur stared at the girl in pink armor, his jaw still dumbly hanging. He shook his head and brandished the mighty axe he wielded against his shoulder.

“Wait for us Lady Elise!” He called as he dashed clumsily after Effie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Princess Takumi to the rescue!


	13. Chapter 13: The Obsidian Lake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Time to check in on Kamui and Camilla. Also this is where the plot is going to jump towards the next major development :) The new character is introduced near the end as well :D

Kaze couldn’t stop his eyes from fixating on the purple bruise that was growing on his mistress’s cheek. He knew that a ninja should never make eye contact with their royal master; it was the greatest sign of disrespect and insubordination. But Kamui had constantly insisted that he look her in the eyes when they spoke. Her bright crimson was full of life where many Nohrians had none, but the purple bruise marring her cheek had drained a little bit of that life away.

Kamui kept her head bowed as Camilla fussed over her. They had barely made it outside of the castle walls before the older princess demanded to know who had hit her. The dragon princess didn’t budge in her answers; she refused to say the perpetrator’s name or even to show any sort of emotion to Camilla’s concern. Even now as the entire party trudged towards the lake, Kaze silently watched as Camilla stared at Kamui’s face.

“Darling, who hurt you,” Camilla asked again.

“Please just drop it Big Sister,” Kamui responded stiffly.

The older princess stopped in the middle of their march, she grabbed Kamui by the arm and forced her to look up at her. Camilla’s violet eyes shimmered with concern and anger, it was an emotion that most mothers expressed when their child was fibbing to them.

“No, I will not drop it. Now tell me who hit you," She said smoothly.

Kamui didn’t reply, she raised her hand and lightly slipped out of Camilla’s grip. Her arms fell limply at her sides and she marched past her older sister.

“Nobody you can get revenge on,” She replied.

The dragon princess pushed past Selena and Beruka and walked alone along the shoreline of the lake. Selena scoffed at the apparent rudeness of the princess and turned her head away in a huff. Beruka watched Kamui’s movements closely before turning to her mistress with an empty frown.

“Lady Kamui is in pain,” She said plainly.

“No shit Beruka,” Selena scoffed.

“She can’t tell you because you wouldn’t believe her.” Beruka ignored her fellow retainer and spoke in that oddly thoughtful tone to Camilla.

“Wouldn’t believe her? Why would she think that?” Camilla sounded offended, she put her hand against her bosom with a small frown.

“She grew up in a fortress where everyone questioned her under what they considered protection,” Beruka continued in a plain, non-judgmental tone.

Camilla sighed sadly as she watched her little sister sit by the shoreline and stare out into the obsidian water. Kamui wasn’t a little girl anymore; she should have grown up a long time ago. But being kept a prisoner in a drafty fortress under the lie of family love had kept her frozen in time. The lilac-haired princess knew she had played a part in the mess that Kamui had become. She should have fought against Garon’s orders a long time ago, but it was her own cowardice and her selfish desire to keep Kamui to herself that overpowered whatever sensibility she had.

“Well, maybe if she had been a bit more useful then King Garon wouldn’t have kept her hidden.” Selena huffed.

Beruka impassively stared at her fellow retainer, her calm demeanor bringing an even bitterer scowl to Selena’s face.

“What? She was weak. Why else would the king keep her locked up?”

“Because she had been kidnapped,” Beruka said plainly.

“Well, maybe she should have stopped him then,” Selena huffed.

“And how would a child stop their own kidnapping?” Beruka asked.

“I-I don’t know. I grew up without my parents so of course, I would have been able to stop that creepy old man from taking me.” Selena rubbed her hands against her forearms; Beruka’s equalizing stare was making her uncomfortable.

“Lady Kamui isn’t you. Because she isn’t a failure,” Beruka said calmly.

“A FAILURE?!” Selena turned on the impassive woman with a glower.

Camilla ignored her retainers and joined her forlorn sister near the lake. Kamui didn’t react to her presence, but her shoulders relaxed just a fraction. The dragon princess was completely enthralled by the dark water. It was nonreflective, whatever light shone upon it was swept up by the thick blackness of the deep lake. Like everything else in Nohr, it seemed to suck up what little vitality it could find.

“Kamui,” Camilla spoke up softly.

“Big Sister,” Kamui sighed.

The older princess put her hands on the smaller princess’s shoulders when the albino didn’t push her away Camilla was encouraged to draw her in a little closer. Kamui reluctantly allowed her body to move. Camilla embraced her little sister fully against her side, the smell of her lilac perfume permeating through Kamui’s sensitive nose. Camilla put her nose against Kamui’s hair and sighed deeply into the strands.

“It’s been so long since I held you like this.” She smiled.

“I haven’t noticed,” Kamui said with a slow monotone.

Camilla wouldn’t allow her patience to be misplaced so soon, she rubbed her hand against Kamui’s shoulder in a small motion. There had to be some way for Kamui to open up to her. Not being able to tell what her little sister was feeling was extremely concerning; the albino woman had always been so emotive and easy to read. But now her eyes had shuttered their windows, and she barely reacted to the world around her.

“Kamui, do you hate me?” Camilla asked.

The dragon princess flinched and balked at her innocent question. Kamui’s eyes widened and her apparent snarl would have been hilarious if not for their precarious situation.

“What? How could you say that Camilla?” She asked with worry.

“You just seem so lost. Are we to blame?” Camilla asked.

Kamui furiously shook her head, the anger igniting a flare of bright crimson behind her gaze.

“Of course not!” She spoke with conviction.

“Then why are you turning me away?” Camilla asked innocently.

Kamui bit her lip and turned to stare out at the lake again, her fingers slowly ghosting over the bruise that Takumi had created. She cleared her throat and glanced back at Camilla, she took refuge in the fact that the older woman couldn’t hurt her brother. Even if Camilla did believe her, she wouldn’t be able to take her vengeance out on a ghost that should have been buried already.

“I’m just coping with the loss,” Kamui whispered.

“By lying to yourself and turning everyone away?” Camilla leaned in closer.

“You lied to me all of these years,” Kamui said plainly.

Camilla’s eyes widened with sorrow, she pulled away from her sister and looked at her as if she had been burned.

“Do you blame all of us?” She asked quietly.

“No, Leo and Elise are completely innocent. But, you and Big Brother have been playing me like a puppet since day one,” Kamui said calmly.

“Kamui, would you have preferred to be treated like an actual prisoner?” Camilla said with concern brewing in her gaze.

“I can’t say that I would have preferred that. But, can you say I was happier in that prison with our family being a lie?” Kamui’s eyes lightened with genuine curiosity.

"At the time you were.” Camilla couldn’t look her in the eye.

“Don’t get me wrong Big Sister I am grateful to you all.” Kamui moved in closer and leaned against her shoulder.

“But I wish that what we have wasn’t based on dishonesty,” She whispered into the fabric of Camilla’s dress.

The lilac-haired princess clenched her hands against the fabric of Kamui’s shirt and pulled her fully against her bosom. She furiously wracked her hands through Kamui’s hair and tried to still her grieving heart. Kamui’s nostrils were overpowered with the scent of Camilla’s perfume, but the overly ripe smelling perfume didn’t make her turn away in disgust. Instead, she buried the side of her face into Camilla’s chest and let out a shaky sob.

She really should have known better than to let out her tears on the shoulder of someone who had been so dishonest with her. But the support and warmth that Camilla provided were too much to pass up. She felt Camilla’s hands knead into her scalp, and Kamui sobbed harder as an instinctive response.

She should have pushed Camilla away, she should have forced herself to be brave and turn her back on the woman who deceived her. But her heart craved for companionship, it refused to give Kamui control and screamed out for comfort instead. The emotional wall she had carefully constructed came crumbling down. All the tears she had thought she had shed for Ryoma, Takumi, Mikoto, and all the other lives she had tossed away easily poured when Camilla asked them to.

“I can’t apologize enough for what we did,” Camilla soothed as she buried her face back into Kamui’s hair.

“But I can make things right,” She whispered into the white strands.

“H-how?” Kamui whimpered.

“It won’t happen overnight,” Camilla lamented as she let Kamui rest her cheek against her bosom.

“But one day you and I will move past this,” She promised as she kissed Kamui’s head.

Kamui didn’t respond, she just hiccupped helplessly and refused to wipe away the errant tears staining her pale cheeks.

“That is if you give me the chance?” The older princess implored.

The dragon princess didn’t vocalize her choice; she simply nodded against the fabric of Camilla’s shirt. It was a minimal movement, but Camilla smiled despite herself. She twisted the base of Kamui’s locks through her smooth fingers, her violet irises reflecting the obsidian glass in the water.

“I don’t blame you for Garon you know,” Kamui mumbled.

“I know,” Camilla cooed.

The emotional blockade that Kamui had forced upon herself was gone; there was no gaping hole or burning sadness in her heart. Her insides had been cauterized, the guilt and shame remained but they were duller than before. Even the bruise growing against her cheek felt weaker. As she watched her tears dry against the dark fabric of Camilla’s shirt, Kamui couldn’t stop herself from wondering if Mikoto ever held her this way. She couldn’t remember what her mother’s perfume smelled like, or what her mother sounded like when she rocked her daughter to sleep. The only memories she had of her mother is the darkened blood that had been spilled, and her violent screams when she held her mother’s corpse in her arms.

“You are to blame for Mikoto’s death,” A very familiar voice whispered in her head.

Kamui’s head shot up, she glanced at Camilla who was watching her with concern. Her sister hadn’t said anything, and when she glanced at the retainers they hadn’t moved any closer. Selena and Beruka were arguing as they always did, and Kaze was keeping Jakob away by holding him by his collar.

“You are the reason I lost my home.” It was definitely female, and the tone was as cold as death.

Kamui couldn’t stop herself from glancing around the shoreline; she hadn’t heard this voice in such a long time. Her heart hammered against her chest, she had desired more than anything to hear her one last time. But the mockery and ice seeping from her chords, it made Kamui’s instincts stand on end.

“Kamui, get behind me,” Camilla demanded.

The lilac-haired princess pushed Kamui to stand behind her, and she brandished the mighty axe that she always carried at her waist. Her eyes were narrowed and focused on a person standing a distance away from them. Kamui pushed her head underneath her sister’s arms and tried to focus on the figure. The person was obviously female from her voice resounding in Kamui’s head, but what caught her attention was the bright flash of color trailing behind the figure.

Blue, pure and bright strands of blue flowed from the figure’s head as if connected to the water itself.

Kamui’s eyes widened, the female stepped closer, her white dress flowing behind her like a maiden’s wedding veil. Her heart screamed at her to run to the female, to embrace her against her side. She would have screamed out her name, she would have embraced the other woman in a grip that conveyed all of her built up love. But logic won out in the end, no matter how much her heart begged her to bring the female closer.

Her instincts did not lie to her because it wasn’t the gentle supernatural gold she had grown to love staring at her. The eyes held no warmth, they held no hidden strength, and they were faded beyond repair.

Blood red pupils that matched her own bored into her skull.

“Azura,” Kamui whispered with inherent sadness.

“Kamui,” Azura spoke with what should have been kindness. But her warped voice made it sound false and flat.

Camilla growled and forced the blade of her axe to come between them and the approaching woman. Azura stopped and tilted her head with disinterest; she kept her focus on Kamui and didn’t react to Camilla’s threat.

“I see you have made yourself at home,” Azura spoke lightly.

Kamui couldn’t speak, her throat closed when she saw the empty smile crossing Azura’s face.

“I’m glad to see your family is at peace,” Azura glanced at Camilla.

The accursed purple mist that had almost claimed Takumi again slowly climbed over Azura’s legs. The songstress didn’t seem bothered by the darkness surrounding her, even as the velvet poison clenched at her bare skin. Her dead eyes kept drilling into Kamui’s head, the level of accusation and uncharacteristic hatred made the dragon princess’s heart ache.

This wasn’t the Azura she had known, it was a twisted corpse that had stolen her image.

“Of course, my home was destroyed in order for you to obtain that peace,” Azura spoke with a smooth edge.

When the songstress stepped closer, the grass around her blackened and the sand underneath her feet turned grey. She was literally sucking away the color around her, a woman who had once sung of life and melancholy was now a source of corruption and death.

“I was cast out of Hoshido because of you,” Azura accused.

“Stay away from her,” Camilla growled.

Azura turned slightly to stare at Camilla, her impassive expression should have been natural but the darkened shadows beneath her cheeks strengthened the pain. The purple mist started to consume her flesh, the trails it created left behind puddles of murky water that clung to her form.

“I died for your cause,” Azura continued to talk to Kamui and ignored the growling older woman.

Water started to collect beneath Azura’s feet, the violent torrents and boiling bubbles consuming the grey sand. Her expression turned angry, bitter, a filthy snarl crawled across her calm exterior. She extended her hand, a glowing and sharp spear manifested in her thin fingers.

“And now, you have angered my master.” She whispered on the bitter breeze.

“Master...?” Kamui choked out.

“You took Takumi from him,” Azura sneered.

Kamui couldn’t believe what she was seeing, her best friend and the person she had grown closest to was staring her down. The calmest woman who always kept back her fears, the one who would sing for her to soothe her nerves, was spewing such hatred and disdain. Whoever this person was, she was NOT Azura. She was a falsehood who was being used by whatever “Master” she served.

“Well then, I’m glad that I saved him,” Kamui spoke.

She stepped away from Camilla and put her hand on the hilt of the Grim Yato. The sacred weapon burned against her hand, whether it was from rejection or hatred she could not tell. But she growled in the back of her throat and straightened her back. How dare someone use Azura as a pitiful mouthpiece, her late best friend deserved better than this.

“How dare you.” Kamui bit her lip and lifted her Grim Yato from her belt.

The Grim Yato burned lovingly against its master’s palm; the blade glowed brightly in the dusty air. Kamui glanced down at her sacred blade; the last time it had reacted so strongly was when she had cut Takumi down. The golden blade pointed heavily at Azura as if the weapon was telling her to stab it through Azura’s empty chest. A flash of pain rocked through her skull, for just an instant Azura turned back into Takumi. The lakeside was once again turned into the gloomy interior of the Hoshidan throne room.

“Kamui!” Camilla called.

The throne room and Takumi’s corpse vanished; Kamui desperately shook her head and glanced dazedly around. Azura had backed up to the water’s edge, her spear pointed threateningly at Kamui. Behind her desecrated form, dozens of corrupted bodies covered in mist rose from the water. They were nearly invisible, with the same grotesque red gaze that tainted Azura as well. Bubbles of velvet darkness licked at their drawn weapons and bloody feet, their faces completely devoid of any emotion.

Undead and hapless corpses taking on the forms of fallen Nohrian and Hoshidan soldiers alike marched from the obsidian lake.

“I am the betrayed,” Azura whispered as her formless army of corpses gathered behind her.

“I AM BETRAYAL!” Takumi’s hoarse words rang through Kamui’s mind.

Camilla stood before Kamui protectively, the axe she held glimmered dangerously before she brought her fingers to her mouth. With a low whistle, Camilla’s zombie wyvern dove from the sky and faithfully landed by its handler. The oldest princess of Nohr climbed upon her undead dragon and retrieved the spell book she kept in its saddle pocket.

“Come on dearies, I would simply love to send you back to hell,” She cooed.

Selena and Beruka took her signal and surrounded their princess on either side of her flank. Beruka tightened her grip on her wyvern’s reins, and sharpened her focus to rest upon the dozen soldiers she could make out on her side. Selena tried to stay steady on her horse, but the bow knight couldn’t quite see the abominations that were rising from the lake. She scowled and brought her bow to rest on her drawn arm with a huff.

“I can’t see them!” She hollered.

“That’s because you have no focus,” Beruka stated.

“How dare you!” Selena scoffed.

“Now ladies, we have a job to do,” Camilla chided as she would a child.

Kaze and Jakob joined the group and faithfully stood by Kamui’s side. The green haired ninja noticed Azura and glanced at his mistress questioningly. His previously sharp expression turning into concern.

“Lady Kamui is that-?” He asked cautiously.

“No. That’s her corpse,” Kamui denied.

“Didn’t Lady Azura disappear after you defeated Prince Takumi?”

“Yes. But we never found her body.” The princess wasn’t focused on the growing battleground. Her intentions were settled on how Azura was going to act.

Azura pointed her spear at the crowd of Nohrians, her mouth settled into a grim line and her eyes shined with sorrow. Kamui could tell by the slight furrow of the princess’s brow that she was trying to fight. But she didn’t possess the will or the passion that Takumi had, she couldn’t break free of whatever was controlling her. All the true Azura could do was watch her body be used for devious purposes, and that was what broke Kamui inside.

“Lady Kamui, let us take care of this mess,” Jakob insisted with a twirl of his dagger.

The Grim Yato burned pleasantly against her hand; it wanted to be wielded to protect its master. Azura raised her spear and immediately the grotesque soldiers that she apparently commanded went after the Nohrians.

The corrupted corpses attacked at her command, their movements were fettered and unpolished as if whatever was controlling them was struggling. A wayward sky knight tried to strike from above but Beruka’s quick judgment saw a hand-thrown axe land in the corpse’s unprotected head. Selena struggled to aim at the enemies on the ground, but she followed Beruka’s lead and shot where the assassin wyvern rider threw an axe.

Kamui couldn’t move, even as her retainers moved around her to protect her from the wayward foe. Kaze darting left and upwards to slash through the reflections of his fallen brethren, and Jakob effortlessly tossing daggers through the empty sockets of those who dared to come near his lady. She couldn’t stop the shaking that was building in her torso; her muscles were spasming uncontrollably with fear. The Grim Yato increased in brightness as the tip pointed at Azura, it yearned for its master to put the corrupted princess down.

“Kamui darling! Watch your head!” Camilla yelled from above as she dove down and swiped off the head of a nearby invader.

The invader’s head rolled to rest beside Kamui’s feet, the empty red eyes that stared back at her made her stomach drop. There was no blood that seeped from its torn neck, instead, that accursed velvet mist permeated from the cut. The mist tried to climb Kamui’s legs, but that familiar draconic growl in her head told her it couldn’t touch her body. With a sickening realization, Kamui bit her lip and charged into the mass of soldiers. Her Grim Yato gleamed gleefully in the air, its blade sharpening upon hearing the desire of its master.

She stabbed and dismembered the corpses as they came at her from all sides. The purple mist couldn’t touch her, it desperately clawed at her legs but all it did was make her blood boil. How dare Azura’s memory be desecrated, whoever this “Master” was he was going to pay. The Grim Yato sliced expertly through the empty vessels, the water spilling forth and puddling around her feet as she danced and twisted around the battlefield.

The draconic growl in her head rumbled through her skull, she couldn’t stop the smirk growing across her face. It felt so empowering to know that she was disturbing this controlling presence. Apparently, he was not pleased by her constant intervention with what Azura had said about Takumi no longer being a vessel. Kamui glanced at her retainers; Jakob and Kaze were fighting back to back with their blades colliding against the swords of their most current undead foes.

This battle was taking place because Azura had been sent as a messenger; she had said that her master wasn’t happy. Did that mean that by killing Takumi she had taken away this “Master’s” preferred vessel? Was he only using Azura because he had no other choice?

Camilla gathered the heads of her enemies and tossed them at the rotting corpses, each fallen foe turning into more of that bitter water. The sickening smile plastered on her sister’s face made Kamui flinch. This was so just like the countless battles they faced together during the invasion of Hoshido. She could physically feel her own smile twisting with the same negative glee.

Kamui stopped in the middle of her charge; her Grim Yato had just stabbed through the gut of another corpse knight. As his body fell forward she opened her arms to catch him. His blank gaze was like that of a doll’s, lifeless, worthless, and merely an imprint of what a real person was. He let out a guttural moan before his entire body became consumed in the mist. Water trailed between her fingers as it joined the wet earth, but in Kamui’s eyes, it was his blood clotting against her gloves.

“This is my doing,” She whispered with sudden clarity.

The Hoshidan invasion had proceeded because she had been the one to deliver Mikoto to her death. With her mother’s death and the removal of the barrier, Xander’s troops marched upon Hoshidan soil to reclaim her. She turned her back on her Hoshidan siblings in their time of grief. Which lead to Ryoma desperately trying to bring her home, Sakura spiraling down into depression, forcing her sister Hinoka to rise to the throne, and the countless battles with Takumi.

Because of her, Azura had been tossed out of Hoshido as an accomplice. She had saved her fellow princess only because Azura had nowhere else to go. Her insistence in trying to end the war peacefully lead to the destruction of the Ice Tribe, the rebel faction under Scarlet being displayed in public like slaughtered meat, the complete annihilation of the Kitsune tribe, Ryoma’s suicide, Takumi’s suicide, and the countless deaths of their retainers and soldiers.

“It’s my fault you were taken,” She glanced up at Azura. The possessed woman was watching her from the back, her crimson gaze burning into Kamui’s own.

She tossed aside her Grim Yato and let her shoulders sag in defeat. If she had just thought her choice through, none of this would have occurred. What good was Kamui now that she had caused such damage to her siblings and Azura? Did she do it for the approval that Garon would never give her? Or did she just insist on living the lie that she built for herself during those countless years of fantasizing the outside world?

“Lady Kamui!” Kaze called as he tossed another shuriken into a charging berserker.

Kamui sank to her knees in the mud, her fingers gripping at the weeping sand and water. She wasn’t of use to anybody now, whatever power or chosen ability she was supposed to have had left her.

“I give up,” She sighed.

“Bloody hell Lady Kamui get up!” Jakob hollered desperately.

Azura stared down at Kamui without a hint of mercy in her judgmental gaze. Her soft lips turned back into a disturbing sneer. This woman wasn’t Azura at all; she was a farce that dared to spit on Azura’s name.

“You give up so easily?” She chirped.

“I’m done,” Kamui shrugged as she stared at the dirtied ground.

Her heart was pounding in her ears, and she could hear the calls of concern from Camilla and her retainers. But all Kamui could focus on was the death stare glowering at her from the other side of the shore. Azura shouldn’t be looking at her like that; they were supposed to be best friends. She could still remember Azura’s gentle smile when they had tea, the way her eyes lit up when she laughed, or even when her cheeks would blossom with blush when Kamui would compliment her singing.

“I couldn’t even save you.” She waved her hand weakly towards the glowering woman and sank herself deeper into the mud.

The invisible soldiers surrounded her on all sides, the sounds of concern from the other fighters was drowned out by the incessant moaning and groaning. Kamui put her hands to her ears and plugged out the noise. If she was going to die then she would rather do it in a void of her own making. No noise, no bloodshed, no darkened eyes glaring at her, just pure and peaceful silence.

“I’m sorry Takumi,” She whispered as she felt her heart ease.

Giving up was so easy; the sense of finality and acceptance was such a welcome change on her pressured shoulders. Leaving Takumi behind was going to be her last regret, but at least he wouldn’t suffer by her hand anymore. If she couldn’t stop Azura from suffering, how could she get Takumi to forgive her?

The image of her little brother screaming at her in anger made her laugh. He was going to be so upset when he found out that she was a ghost too. He would tell her that she had no right to give up. But Takumi wasn’t here right now, and if Kamui was going to go down she was going to hell upon the selfish path.

“I’m so tired of being the hero,” She laughed sadly towards the sky.

Her sadness and bitterness piled together, and Kamui let out a draconic roar from her deepest pits of emotion. Her dragon roar would be her last sound in this world, a mighty roar that told those who passed upon her grave that she wasn’t worth it after all. She was going to leave this world in peace and in selfishness. Just the way she had chosen when she had driven her sword through Hoshido’s gut.

“Kamui, get up!” A deep baritone called to her, cutting through the resounding noise of groans and screams.

The air around the dragon princess thickened with electricity, she could feel a rumble deep in the earth. Thunder rolled above her head, and the suffocating clouds gathered together in a frenzy. The invisible soldiers surrounding Kamui disappeared in a flurry of lightning and water.

“You are not dying on my watch. Now get up!” The deep baritone commanded her as she hauled to her feet.

Kamui glanced up at the male that had grabbed her, her limbs dangling limply as he held her from the ground. The man drove his electric sword into the sand and stared the remaining soldiers down. He put Kamui back on her feet and forced his gauntlet to lift her chin.

She was greeted with the warmest and deadliest pair of grey eyes that often haunted her dreams. His pale face hidden by the intimidating chin armor that pulled at his jaw and cheekbones.

“You have no right to die on me Sister.” He said gently.

Ryoma smiled gently at his younger sister before turning to face Azura and her army of the undead. He grabbed the Rajinto from where he had stabbed it into the ground and charged through the hoard. The smell of fresh earth and lightning greeted Kamui’s nose as she took in a deep breath. She couldn’t help but watch the flicker of red and white dance through the invaders with ease.

“Kamui! Darling are you okay?” Camilla landed her wyvern by her sister and gathered her up in her mighty arms.

“I’m…fine…” Kamui gasped.

Camilla turned her head and traced the path that Kamui was silently drawing in her head. She caught sight of the former Crown Prince of Hoshido stabbing through the sickening enemies with experienced slices. His skin was grey and translucent, and the armor that clung to his body was dull. The most disturbing part was that she could see right through him.

“Kamui, sweetie, why is the spirit of your brother stabbing through those corpses?” Camilla asked sweetly.

Kamui couldn’t exactly form an answer, how was she going to explain Ryoma suddenly appearing just to slice through enemies as if he was still alive? And where had he gotten the Rajinto? Did he steal it from his grave?!

“SISTER!” Elise came running down the hill at top speed, her retainers struggling to keep up with her tiny legs.

“Elise! What are you doing here?!” Camilla called out in concern.

Kamui couldn’t believe her eyes; the body of Elise was running towards her with light steps that only a hunter could possess. The Fujin Yumi was strapped across her back; a gigantic satchel of medicine sat at her waist, and her bright twintails had been tied back into a very familiar ponytail. What was worse was the spirit of Elise herself was trailing behind her body with a manic grin on her face.

Elise’s body gripped the Fujin Yumi between her palms and fired arrow after arrow in the chests of the approaching invaders. When one invader would fall, another one would pop up from the lakebed. Azura turned her head towards Elise’s body with a flat smile.

“Well, the failed vessel decides to return,” She said mockingly.

“What…AZURA?!” Elise’s possessed body yelped.

“Elise you know this woman?” Camilla demanded to know as she casually stabbed her axe through an invader from behind.

“Kamui! Pick up your sword!” Ryoma ordered from the other side of the shore.

“BIG BROTHER?!” Elise’s body responded.

“What…Elise what has gotten into you!” Camilla demanded as she marched over towards the youngest princess.

Kamui fell back on her butt, she gathered up the Grim Yato from its fallen place and sneered at the seemingly endless invaders. She knew she was going to have a lot to explain when Azura was gone and the invaders were driven back. Right in that moment she only felt anger at how she had so easily given up. She was a princess of Nohr; she had no right to rest so easily.

Gods, the family reunion with her two brothers was going to be awkward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS. CHAPTER. WAS. SO. LONG. TO. WRITE.


	14. Chapter 14: Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I am glad to see that a lot of my commenters didn’t see the Azura being the antagonist twist coming. She did appear once before in Chapter 5 at the end when Kamui and Xander were talking about her ;)
> 
> I also want to thank Dragonna, Galdr, Werehogdog, Jemachu, Homulily, faith xx love, and Hekai no Megami for constantly commenting on my story. Any new commenters want to join? You are more than welcome to!

If there was anything that Takumi was expecting to find, it definitely wasn’t Ryoma darting through dozens of corpses and Azura staring him down with disdain. His older brother dodged and weaved his way through the Invaders with his Rajinto glimmering through the fog. Takumi turned his head and met Azura’s gaze, she was standing near the edge of the lake with a darkened spear brandished between her fingers. Half of her figure was dissolving in the purple mist surrounding her, and her ruby eyes were practically sneering at him.

Wait, Azura didn’t have red eyes. And she certainly didn’t have such a disdainful scowl prowling across her face.

“So, you have returned” She growled.

Takumi heard footsteps approaching him, Camilla was treading carefully across the battlefield to his position. She gracefully dodged an Invader trying to cut her head off and merely smacked it in the face with the side of her axe.

“Elise, Sweetheart, where did you get that bow?” She cooed.

“Big Sister, this isn’t what it looks like!” Elise’s spirit waved her hands desperately at the narrowed eye directed at her body.

“I….” Takumi couldn’t get his mouth to move. This body felt entirely wrong, he could barely control it enough to even fire an arrow. And the expression that Camilla was leveling at him made him shudder. She could tell that Elise wasn’t entirely there if the murderous gleam in her eye was anything to go by.

“You aren’t my darling Elise,” Camilla calmly stated.

He saw how her free hand twitched as if she wanted to rip the Fujin Yumi from his grasp and toss it. If his divine weapon went soaring, Takumi knew that his spirit would be sucked back into it and he wouldn’t be able to save Kamui’s butt. Damn that Nohrian prince for making his situation even worse!

“Camilla, Elise, look out!” Kamui yelled.

The dragon princess skidded in front of her sisters and tackled a lumbering Invader from attacking them. The Invader’s spear went flying into the dirt, and Kamui brought down her Grim Yato across its neck with a nimble slice. Takumi stared in awe as his older sister darted across the battlefield with her divine sword glimmering. Kamui didn’t react as she impaled Invader after Invader, her ruby irises shining with more life than he had ever seen from her.

Her white hair was caked in mud, her leggings had been cut from constant scrapping, and he could see blood dribbling down her cut lip. Kamui’s expression was sorrowful, but her shoulders were held back by a resolute strength that Takumi never knew she possessed. The dragon princess battled against Azura’s army with ferocity and conviction, her mighty will shining through like steel as she cut each Invader down.

“You will NOT take another one of my siblings away!” She roared.

Takumi shook his head and darted past Camilla, the older woman yelling out Elise’s name with concern and anger. He brandished his Fujin Yumi and allowed the sharp wind to pierce through an Invader as he ran towards Kamui. His weapon glowed as he let loose another arrow, this one lodging through 3 Invaders at once. Why was it only now that Kamui was acting with strength? Why hadn’t she used that strength to help his family defend Hoshido?

A sharp pang of jealousy ran through Takumi’s gut, he knew exactly why Kamui was only acting this way now. She was defending the honor of her sisters and defending the memory of Azura. He glanced at the songstress as he dove away from an incoming strike to the head. Her head was twitching unstably to the side, and her teeth were chewing on her bottom lip. Takumi raised his bow and shot an arrow straight into an Invader’s gut, the corpse instantly dissolving into more of that nightmarish purple liquid that pooled at his feet.

“Sister!” He called as he finally neared Kamui’s backside.

“Takumi! You shouldn’t be here!” Kamui cried as she blocked a strike from an undead Cavalier.

The former prince of Hoshido skidded on his tiny heels, for a moment his brain didn’t register how she was able to recognize him so easily. It made sense that she would know that it was him in Elise’s tiny body. He couldn’t tell if it was his Fujin Yumi or the fact that he had tied the tiresome blonde hair back into a ponytail. Or maybe it was the slightly deeper tone coming from Elise’s mouth?

“How can you tell it’s me?” Takumi asked as he shot the Cavalier at point blank.

Kamui raised her Grim Yato above her head and swung down upon the undead Cavalier that fell from its horse. She straightened her back and let the water drip from the golden blade. Her fingers twitched in an urge to comfort the bruise marring her cheek, but she kept her hand at her side and turned to face her possessed sister’s body. When her ruby eyes met Elise’s violet, she didn’t see the girl that always brightened her day. Elise’s violet gaze had been sharpened, a wisdom far beyond the young girl’s years shone through stronger than Elise’s gentle flame.

“Your eyes.” She commented.

“What? My eyes?” Takumi shoved his back to stand against Kamui’s, his trained eyes carefully watching the battlefield. He raised his Fujin Yumi and dared any of the groaning corpses to get closer.

“Your gaze is sharper and deadlier than Elise’s,” Kamui stated as she effortlessly blocked an incoming attack from a Wyvern Rider.

Takumi growled and combat rolled between Kamui’s legs; he shot the Wyvern in the wing and propelled a sharp kick to the Rider’s head as the Wyvern fell. The Rider went flying and disappeared into a puddle. The dragon princess slammed her foot into the neck of the fallen Wyvern, and she plunged the sharp edge of her Grim Yato through the armored scales. The undead animal let out a feeble growl; its tail slamming against the ground as it disappeared into the ground.

“Maybe I wouldn’t need a deadly gaze if you didn’t hurt me,” Takumi growled.

“You hurt me as badly,” Kamui countered as she cleaved through another Invader.

“None of this would have happened if you hadn’t let yourself be taken,” Takumi grumbled.

The albino princess groaned towards the sky, she shoved her Yato into the ground and sharply turned to face her little brother. The amount of pain and sorrow in Elise’s eyes was almost as palpable as her own. She ignored the instinct to comfort; Elise was not in her body right now. She was staring down at the spirit of her little brother who somehow had control over the body. Kamui grabbed Takumi by the shoulders and lifted him into the air.

“You listen to me. I know I am to blame for Hoshido’s pain.” She shook him once.

“You can call me all the names in the book. Idiot, Traitor, Spoiled Princess, Nohrian Scum, I am all of them.” Her eyes burned wildly with an anger that matched Takumi’s.

“But you will NOT blame me for my kidnapping, and you will NOT think less of me for being unable to save King Sumeragi,” She growled as her fingers turned into sharpened talons.

Takumi was stunned; he had never seen such ferocity or negativity coming from his sister. Her slit pupils had been blown wide open, and her fangs were gnashing her pale lip between them. He didn’t have a specific memory of Kamui’s wrath; he was more familiar with her desperate begging and her feeble attempts at staying positive. A thin layer of tears was forming over her corneas, but they didn’t dare fall from the thin surface.

Kamui was reflecting what he often saw in himself, personal hatred, insecurity, and pain that had coagulated into his demise. But where he had drowned in his own demons, Kamui remained on the surface because of her own volition. The dragon princess was outright refusing to allow her past weakness to drown her.

“I let Hoshido fall, I take full blame for that. But it’s not my fault that Garon decided to kill our father and kidnap me. I am sorry that you had to grow up in a shadow that I didn’t cast of my own volition,” Kamui said bitterly.

Takumi remained silent, his grip on his Fujin Yumi slackened and he couldn’t bring himself to argue with her. Kamui hadn’t been there during his later childhood; of course, she didn’t have any say in how Ryoma and Hinoka used her as their motivation. She barely remembered their mother Mikoto; none of the shadows that dwelled over him as a child were because of her.

However, that didn’t change the fact that the biggest shadow on his heart was because she had forced Hoshido’s walls to crumble. Ryoma was darting around the lakeshore as a spirit, and Hinoka was the freaking Queen of a desolated country. She couldn’t change the choice that she had made, and she had to live with the consequences of his reluctance to let it all go.

Kamui wasn’t asking for forgiveness, she was telling him that he should only hate her for her mistakes. He had no right to hate her for things she couldn’t control, such as the living light of glory that Mikoto and his older siblings tried to make her out to be.

“Big Sister! Put him down!” Elise cried as she finally caught up.

Both arguing parties turned as the spirit of the Nohrian princess floated rapidly towards them. Elise clenched her staff closely between her fingers and stared imploringly up at her big sister.

“He’s only trying to help!” Elise cried.

“Elise.” Kamui smiled, her hands slackened and she put Takumi back on his heels.

“Please, Big Sister. There has to be a better way to get along!” Elise begged.

Takumi couldn’t stop himself from fixating on Kamui’s gentle smile she gave to her younger sister. Jealousy slowly wormed its way through his chest, why was she so open to the girl? Could she have shown such open love to him if she had chosen Hoshido?

“Takumi!” Kamui screamed.

The former prince of Hoshido didn’t see the Malig Knight come up from behind. By the time he turned his head and raised his Fujin Yumi, the corpse had already cast a spell. He felt the blast before he saw it; the sharp strike of lightning hit his hand and caused the Fujin Yumi to go flying.

The reaction was immediate; Takumi didn’t feel any pain as his spirit was sucked back into his weapon. His vision blurred, and all of the noise surrounding him from the battlefield disappeared. He was back in the void that Leo had trapped him in.

/ Damn it! / He cursed mentally as he tried to force his way out.

The darkness didn’t shift no matter how much Takumi cursed or fought against his formless state. His consciousness thrashed in irritation, his panic started to rise and he screamed out hoping anyone would be able to hear.

/ LET ME OUT! / He yelled as hard as he mentally could.

/ Brother! / Kamui’s voice echoed through his mind, her tone just as panicked and confused.

/ Kamui! Let me out! / Takumi responded.

A searing heat that was drastically different from Elise’s warmth embraced his spirit. Kamui’s thoughts raced through his mind at a mile a minute, the noise was deafening compared to the oppressive silence. Takumi did all he could to fight back against the tidal wave of her emotions; she was literally overtaking him with her energy and conviction.

/ Kamui stop! / Takumi cried.

Almost immediately her emotions slowed to a buzzing hum in the back of his consciousness. Takumi couldn’t quite piece himself back together after the attack; he tried to focus on his immediate question.

/ Sister, do you have the Fujin Yumi? / He asked after a minute.

/ Yes, I got it away from that Invader, / Kamui confirmed.

A gentle wave of calm washed over him, but it wasn’t Takumi who was expressing it. He was able to sense what Kamui was feeling at the moment, and for whatever reason, her thoughts and emotions were coming in stronger than Elise’s did. The former prince of Hoshido couldn’t deny that her mind brushing against his was bringing massive relief to his panicked state. He tried to refuse the waves of serenity, but he failed miserably as his panic and annoyance slowly receded.

/ Did Leo do this to you? / Kamui asked.

/ Yeah. That piece of shit, / Takumi replied with a wave of irritation.

/ Takumi. / Kamui’s tone warned him not to say anymore. Her thoughts sharpened briefly at the implications of his words.

/ Fine,/ The ghost grumbled.

A stabbing shot of shock ran through Takumi’s core, and Kamui’s thoughts disassembled into a torrent of agony.

/ Sister! What’s happening?! / He yelled.

/ It’s Azura, / Kamui whispered before he felt another wave of agony and sorrow overtake him.

/ What about her?! / Takumi demanded.

Gods did he wish to be back in Elise’s cramped body right now and not some lonely consciousness without any true form.

/ She’s attacking me. / Kamui’s voice had gone soft, her words were faint and the searing fire that was her strength was turning cold.

Kamui’s mental scream echoing through his mind was the final straw.

/ Sister! Keep hold of my bow! / Takumi ordered.

The dragon princess didn’t reply her mind was teeming with regret and remorse directed at Azura. But when she felt Takumi’s mind brush against hers, she reeled back and forced him away from her.

/ No! Don’t let go of the bow! / He pleaded.

/ What are you doing? / Kamui’s spirit was layered with suspicion.

The former prince of Hoshido couldn’t exactly put into words what he was trying to do. He had been able to take over Elise’s body without harming her. So couldn’t he do the same with Kamui? Of course, when he had possessed Elise it had been entirely by accident. Could he even accomplish such a feat with his older sister?

The only answer he knew was he couldn’t let Kamui die.

/ Kamui, let me help you, / Takumi said calmly.

/ Why would you want to help me? / Kamui asked.

Her question burned the spirit and made his consciousness shiver, even with no accusation in her tone he could tell that she had very little trust in him.

/ Please Kamui! / Dignity be damned, he needed to keep her from dying at the hands of the possessed songstress.

Kamui’s mind silently questioned his pleading; she gently poked and prodded at his spirit. Takumi tried his hardest to keep himself from shuddering at her ministrations; she was literally examining his line of thought and his inner being. He couldn’t hide behind the wall that he carefully constructed around him during his earlier years. Kamui’s fire was burning the layers away and truly looking at him as he was underneath.

Takumi didn’t know why he was allowing her to do this; he even wished that he could claim that he didn’t care. But when Kamui gently brushed her essence against his, he knew the true response to his own confusion.

She wasn’t judging him; in fact, her spirit readily embraced his and brought him closer to her side.

/ Okay, / Kamui said.

With her words, the ghost in the divine weapon found himself slowly growing heavier. The voice disappeared, and his vision was bathed in the brightest rays of white that made him cringe. In the next instance the sounds of Ryoma roaring through the Invaders, and a screaming Elise overcame his hearing. He automatically clawed at his ears and tried to keep blink away the blurriness in his eyes.

A gentle wave of calm washed over him again, and he could feel Kamui’s presence pressing against the back of his head.

/ Focus Takumi, / She said.

Takumi’s head shot up, he twisted his neck and tried to catch a glimpse of his sister. If he was feeling heaviness in his feet, he possessed her body right? Then why could he feel her buzzing in his head but couldn’t see her spirit?

/ Look, / Kamui gasped.

The former prince of Hoshido took a deep breath, the cool air helping his archer instincts take control. He lifted his head and focused on the battlefield around him. Azura was standing a couple feet away from him, her spear was lifted above her head but she didn’t make a move to strike.

“Takumi.” Her voice grated on his sensitive ears.

“What…” His voice was stuck in his throat, the chords felt tender and dry as if they had stretched.

“So, you finally decide to show up as yourself.” Azura’s bitter smile sent shivers down his spine.

The former prince of Hoshido gripped his Fujin Yumi closer to his body. He didn’t understand what she was talking about. Everything going on around him didn’t make any sense. He had been walked through, pushed, manipulated, shoved into his bow, shoved into the body of a little girl, argued with his sister, and now he was staring down the woman who he had taunted as a child. All over the course of one fucking day, what else could be going on to top that?

His eyes darted down to where he expected to see Kamui’s dainty feet. But what met his gaze almost made him lose the grip on his bow.

He was staring at his own shoes, and he was feeling the brush of his own hair against his back. The Fujin Yumi glowed brightly in greeting towards its master. His chest was moving with breath, and when he brought his fingers up to his neck. He felt the one thing that he had sorely missed during his months of spiritual wandering.

He felt a steady pulse between his fingers.

Bright streams of pink and blue coursed between his fingers and through his hair. Kamui mentally smiled when she felt her brother’s disbelief, even if her own confusion at their situation was still gnawing at her.

“How am I…?” Takumi’s vocal chords moved with his words. An oddly strange feeling after so many months without a body.

/ You are sharing my life, / Kamui whispered in awe.

“Your life…?” Takumi couldn’t get his mouth to form a full sentence. How undignified.

/ It seems whatever spell Leo cast gives you the ability to possess the body of whoever holds your Fujin Yumi, / Kamui guessed.

Takumi’s pulse slowed, and he could tell that a bit of disappointment was digging its way through his gut. Despite his desperate hope to be amongst the living, he was only borrowing the vitality of his older sister.

He was still a ghost who didn’t have any strength in the physical plane of his own.

“Failed vessel of Lord Anakos, you have no purpose here.” Azura brandished her spear at his chest and took a step forward.

“Anakos? Azura what the fuck happened to you?” Takumi asked as he took a step back.

“Because of you, I can’t rest in peace.” The former princess sneered as she charged.

/ Takumi! / Kamui yelled.

Takumi growled and caught the point of Azura’s spear with his Fujin Yumi’s string. He heaved the spear away from her body and kicked her in the abdomen. The possessed songstress skidded away from him but her eyes remained trained on his form. She merely lifted a finger and the spear reacted by tearing away from Takumi’s grip. The former prince reacted by rolling away from the spear as it launched itself into the stone where he once stood.

“You were his perfect servant,” Azura commented as she lifted the spear casually from its fallen place.

Takumi raised his bow between his fingers and allowed the wind to wrap around his form. He lifted himself up onto one knee and pointed the arrow at Azura’s flickering image. The cruelness in her hazy red eyes didn’t match the girl that he remembered. This person was not Azura. She was a malformation that dared to tread upon the mysterious fate of the lonesome songstress.

“Who the fuck are you talking about?” He growled.

The songstress laughed lightly as her fingers wrapped around the base of her spear. The purple mist surrounding her responded by coalescing thickly in her hair. He could see the bleak shades of black and blue running down her legs.

She was the complete opposite of what he had become.

“Anakos, my master is the dragon god that this world abandoned,” Azura said as she stepped closer.

The purple mist and the violent shades covering her form pulsated with power. She let go of the spear as it floated beside her and raised two fingers in the air, the spear splitting apart into multiple duplicates of it.

“You were to be his messenger. But in the end, you failed to even do just that.”

A sudden stab of pain pushed between Takumi’s temples, he groaned and tried to ease it away with his free hand. He had gone so long without those damned headaches, why were they coming back NOW of all places?

“You were sent to kill Kamui. But of course, you don’t remember that do you?”

He couldn’t see clearly anymore, his mind was swimming and struggling to focus on what Azura said. He couldn’t remember much of anything from his last moments alive. He could recall meeting Kamui in the afterlife, handing her his divine weapon, lying to her about his forgiveness. He could recall feeling her sword cleave through his insides, and he could see Kamui’s tear-stricken face as he faded away.

But he couldn’t recall facing her in battle.

/ Takumi, it’s okay. / Kamui’s gentle voice echoed in the back of his head.

Her searing heat surrounded him and filled him to the brim with her energy. The colors racing across his flesh turned brighter. Takumi clenched his divine weapon to his breast and shakily got to his feet. He could sense Kamui staring at Azura using his eyes, and the faint response of remorse made him frown.

“You know what I have to do right?” He asked his sister.

His Fujin Yumi responded by humming with an energy that zipped up the inside of Takumi’s arm. The former prince stared down at his weapon in bafflement. The golden wood was glowing an almost pearlescent white and the wings that adorned the shaft had spread apart as if they were taking flight.

The azure energy that was often created by the wind was now dancing amongst the light of silver, white, and red streams. And instead of translucent feathers, the magic aura emanating from his bow transformed into differently shaped bubbles.

/ I know. / Kamui’s voice sounded crystal clear in his head. And for a moment Takumi swore he saw her image flicker behind his eyelids. Her transparent image standing beside him with her Yato’s blade resting on the wrist holding his Fujin Yumi.

Takumi allowed a massive arrow of bubbles and wind form from the string of his divine weapon. He squared his shoulders and rose fully on his haunches, his sharpened gaze taking in everything going on around him. He could hear Ryoma in the background and the electric sizzle of his Rajinto. He could smell Camilla’s perfume in the air as she flew above the Invaders. He could see Elise caring for an injured Selena across the hill and an irritated Beruka lobbing heads off of charging Knights. He could sense Jakob and Kaze nearby as the pair of retainers fought together to preserve the honor of their lady.

But he wasn’t focused on any of his physical senses; his mind was currently repeating only one thing. He smiled at Azura and allowed the arrow of his and Kamui’s combined strength rocket through the air.

/ I trust you. / Kamui’s words had never sounded more genuine.


	15. Chapter 15: Budding Acceptance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ready for the next chapter? There’s no major angst this chapter. But there is going to be lots of fluff. Next chapter is when we get the next plot bomb :)

If there was any word in the modern tongue that could be used to describe Camilla it should not be panicked. The lilac-haired princess literally felt her jaw drop when she saw the second prince of Hoshido appear physically on the battlefield. She struggled to keep her hold on her zombie wyvern’s reigns as the reptile growled in displeasure at her sudden jerkiness. She effortlessly kicked an Invader off of its pegasus as she circled above the place where her little sister had once been.

The second prince of Hoshido had suddenly taken over where Kamui had been fighting off the mysterious songstress. Feathers and bubbles surrounded his ‘body’, and he had these what she could only describe as physical colors cycling across his hair and form. Camilla tugged her zombie wyvern to fly overhead, her mind sharpening when she saw the Fujin Yumi sitting in his hands.

Two more sky knight Invaders tried to dive bomb from above, but she merely raised her axe and cut through both of their necks as they dove past her. One of the fallen heads hit Takumi, he yelped in surprise when water drenched him. His amber eyes flew upwards and narrowed at the eldest Nohrian princess.

“I don’t know how you got there dearie, but do try and be careful,” Camilla cooed as she directed her wyvern to zoom upwards.

Her axe glinted dangerously as she rose slightly on her knees and cleaved her weapon through the chest of another dive-bombing sky knight. More water fell from above, and Takumi cursed to himself as he tried to dodge what could be considered the Invader’s blood.

“You know it would do me some good if you could go the other way!” He yelled.

“Sorry dearie, but I’m not leaving until I find out what happened to Kamui.” Camilla fought back.

/ Just ignore her Takumi, / Kamui soothed.

Takumi didn’t understand why his sister’s voice had such a profound effect on him. It confused him to no end how he could suddenly sense her emotions, and how he could hear her in his head. Her words fought back the tide of irritation that threatened to take over, instead, he felt an unusual sense of calm that he often only pretended to have. What exactly HAD that damned Nohrian prince done when he cast his spell!?

/ It’s probably because I’m the one who killed you, / Kamui suggested.

The arrow that Takumi had shot at Azura bounced against her darkened spear. The former singer sneered angrily at the former prince and threw her spear aiming for his torso. The archer managed to dodge by diving to the left, his knees skidding uncomfortably against the increasing mud. He raised his bow and shot another arrow, the same amount of power leaving his weapon as it shot past Azura’s ear.

/ That explains why you can see and touch me, Sister. That doesn’t explain why our powers are combining! / Takumi huffed mentally.

/ But I think it does. You took my betrayal more personally than the others. /

/ I-I did not! / He stammered.

/ But you did Brother. You made it your personal mission to kill me. /

Azura’s hair flowed unnaturally behind her and her reddened eyes narrowed. She gritted her teeth together and flicked a single finger. Her fallen spear corrected itself from it’s fallen place and spun haphazardly back at Takumi. He fought back an irritated growl and caught the spear with the string of his Fujin Yumi. He brought down his foot with a mighty stomp and splintered the spear’s shaft in half.

/ I don’t have time to argue with you! / He yelled at Kamui.

Kamui’s mental voice went silent. Without her words, the back of his head felt incredibly empty and Takumi did his best to resist shuddering.

He expected his sister to disappear and to be shoved right back into the Fujin Yumi. But the powerful hum of his divine weapon didn’t cease, the colors running through his hair didn’t stop, and the bubbles surrounding him didn’t freeze. As aggravating as it was, Kamui once again defied his expectations.

/ You are lying, / She said gently.

Azura summoned a dozen more spears from the thin air, her hands crossed above her head and the spears rained down upon the poor archer. Takumi did his best to avoid being hit, but even his hunter’s feet can’t be quick enough to dodge every shot. One of her spears barely missed his face and ended up shaving off a few silver hairs. He aimed blindly and fired another powerful arrow. This one hit Azura in the shoulder and caused her to scream in pure agony.

The bubbles that Kamui produced started to climb up Azura’s arm, her flesh dissolving and the purple mist that claimed her pulling back as well. Takumi stared in bafflement, his Fujin Yumi was powerful but not even his arrows could do something like THAT. Now that he thought about it, Kamui had a similar effect on him by pushing back the darkness that tried to claim his soul. Somehow his sister played a bigger connection in his death and in Azura’s possession.

Which led to the conclusion that Kamui was connected to this “Anakos” as well.

/ Kamui, do you know who this Anakos is? / Takumi asked.

/ Maybe,/ Kamui said plainly.

/ Well, who is he? / He demanded.

Kamui merely hummed to herself, her voice was gentle and haunting in a way that forced down his growing anger. She was intently hiding what she knows, was she trying to get him killed again!?

/ If you want to know, you need to answer my question first, / She teased.

/ What? / Takumi’s mental question came out calmer than he wanted it to.

/ You are lying to yourself. You want to argue with me, / Kamui stated.

Azura’s right arm had completely disappeared, leaving anything below her shoulder as a flurry of water particles and mist. Her swollen eyes shone completely in fury and she used her remaining arm to tightly grip onto a new spear. She took an unsteady step closer and bit her lip so tightly that it drew blood.

/ We don’t have time for this, / Takumi growled.

He dodged Azura’s spear by twisting his torso away from her stab, and he spun in a semi-circle to get away from her attempted swipe. He focused on drawing back another arrow, but the Fujin Yumi failed to respond. His golden weapon didn’t summon an arrow, despite its drastic change in appearance remaining.

“What the…” Takumi wanted to scream in frustration. But he couldn’t find that customary pit of anger in his gut. It was gone as if someone had just taken a spoon and scooped it out of him.

“Watch out Takumi!” Ryoma roared as he clashed with Azura’s spear. His transparent form flickered briefly as he knocked back the songstress.

“Brother,” Takumi said softly. What was wrong with him today?

The former Crown Prince of Hoshido clashed his Rajinto with Azura’s spear. He glanced back at his younger brother with a comforting smile. His expression saddened when he took in Azura’s form. She was bleeding from her lip, her eyes were sunken, and her missing arm was dripping water onto the ground.

“I’ll take care of Azura. You talk to Kamui,” Ryoma instructed.

Takumi wanted to argue, but he could feel Kamui using his eyes to gaze at Ryoma’s backside. For a split second, he saw the image of Ryoma’s fallen form flash behind his eyelids.

/ You didn’t kill him, / Takumi realized.

/ No. Ryoma took his own life when Garon demanded his death. /

/ Big Brother committed suicide? /

/ I was ready to fight off Garon. But Ryoma stabbed himself before I could try. /

/ Kamui…can I ask you something? / Takumi’s curiosity helped form an idea in his head.

/ Only if you answer what I asked earlier, / Kamui stated.

/ Fine, / Takumi huffed. He couldn’t believe he was making a deal with Kamui of all people.

/ You were lying to me. You want to argue because you still feel I belonged in Hoshido. /

He could feel Kamui sitting calmly in the back of his head again, she wasn’t prying at his mental walls but merely vying his reaction. Takumi wanted to deny her claims, but he had been fighting the truth for so long that his heart couldn’t take it. She had come to him and asked about his issues, he didn’t need to let go of his pride because she had already let go of hers.

Kamui was willing to sit and listen to his anger and sorrow; she wasn’t refusing to fight but rather offered to let him speak unhindered.

/ Yes. You were my sister first, / He whispered only to her.

/ You pushed me away, / Kamui whispered back.

Takumi watched as Ryoma ground the edge of his Rajinto against Azura’s spear. The former songstress sneered angrily and summoned another spear that floated haphazardly above her head. She thrust it down at the former prince, but Ryoma dodged it and cut away the spear’s tip.

Camilla dive-bombed into the ground with a wyvern rider Invader lodged between her thighs. Her elbow dug into the Invader’s skull as it kissed the earth, the lilac-haired princess flipped her hair and flipped back onto her waiting mount. The zombie wyvern growled happily as Camilla threw her axe upwards, another Invader dissolving into water as it collapsed from the air.

/ I was in disbelief that you had returned to us. And logically I knew that you would have been trained to be against Hoshido, / He said truthfully.

/ I don’t blame you for thinking that, / Kamui said softly.

/ I was skeptical, but that didn’t mean I had a right to be so abrasive to you… /

/ Takumi…/

Camilla cast a fireball spell at a Berserker that had crept up on Takumi, the smell of burning mud filled the silver-haired archer’s nose. He coughed and pinched the bridge as the smoke got into his eyes.

“Sorry about that dearie!” Camilla called.

“You did that on purpose!” Takumi hollered.

“Okay, maybe I did a little.” The princess smiled as she cast another fireball spell at a flying Invader.

/ I know why you chose them Sister, but did you ever give any thought to us? /

/ Of course I did. /

He could feel her sincerity and honesty filling him from the inside. The pleasant warmth bubbled from his feet to his head. It drove his attention away from his irritated eyes and nose. He could not sense a single lie or hint of deceit in Kamui’s voice, any other time he would have outright refused to listen. But the wisps of her memory swam lightly through his mind; she didn’t have anything to hide behind this time.

/ Did you ever think of me? Even after what I did? /

Takumi could feel his heart (or was it Kamui’s heart?) pounding in his chest. He tried to steady his breathing but he could feel the lump forming in his throat. He could feel gentle mental fingers massaging away his headache. If she was going to drop her barriers, he needed to at least show a small piece of his weakness right? This was all so that one day he could finally pass on in peace without carrying her baggage.

…That’s what he truly wanted after all right?

/ Of course I thought of you Kumi, Kamui said softly.

His heart stopped momentarily, how did she remember that name? Nobody had called him by that name since he was a child. Mother often called him by that nickname to comfort him when he was scared of a nightmare. And his babysitter Orochi often teased him by shortening his name.

But he hadn’t heard his big sister call him Kumi since he was a tiny kid. The last time she spoke that word was the day before she had been wrenched from his life.

‘ I love you Big Sister!’

‘ I love you too Kumi!’

/ I wish I could have saved you. / Kamui’s voice brought him back from the edge of his memory.

/ You did save me, / He argued with a gentleness she had never heard from him.

Ryoma’s Rajinto cut away Azura’s other arm, her limb slowly reforming from the water of the lake. Her smile widened as she twirled lightly on her toes, and brushed the side of her spear against his armor. The former prince frowned sadly and allowed his katana to collide with her darkened weapon, the sound of metal meeting wood echoing deftly in the enormous battlefield.

/ Azura can heal her wounds? Why hasn’t her other arm grown back? /

/ It’s because of you Sister. /

Camilla’s wyvern landed roughly on the body of another zombie wyvern, the princess locking the other wyvern rider in a headlock. She thrust the handle of her axe through the Invader’s skull and scoffed at the amount of water that soaked through her tunic and leggings.

“I just bought these clothes,” She said calmly before stabbing her heel through the zombie wyvern’s eye.

/ Me? / Kamui sounded genuinely confused.

/ Your influence fights back against this Anakos’s power. /

/ I thought my Yato did that. /

/ No. It’s you. You were the one who saved me from…/ He couldn’t bring himself to say it. His body’s final fate still left a bitter taste on his tongue even after he lost the ability to eat and drink.

/ I’m sorry Kumi, / Kamui said with as much kindness and sincerity she could project.

Takumi’s throat went completely dry; the lump that had been slowly forming almost forced its way out of his teeth. He bit his bottom lip as it quivered, he couldn’t stop the burning sensation building behind his eyes. Kamui wasn’t trying to defend herself, she was genuinely and earnestly offering him a chance to finally allow his festering wounds to heal.

But oh how feeling that cooling sensation of honesty in his soul burned.

/ I’m not asking for your forgiveness. I’m…sorry. /

/ I know. And I…think I can begin to accept your apology. /

The amount of relief and happiness that radiated from Kamui’s soul caught the normally sharp archer off guard completely. It wasn’t violent, but it literally felt like Takumi had swallowed a beam of sunlight. He could feel her mind humming against his, and if she had lips he could tell that she would have been smiling.

“I’m glad,” Kamui chimed.

Takumi whirled is head behind him, not standing ten feet away was the transparent form of Kamui. Her bright eyes and her serene smile didn’t match with her see-through skin and hair. The colors racing through his body were moving in synch with the colors in her spirit. She didn’t seem to notice her sudden appearance until he raised a shaking finger and shook his head in disbelief.

“W-where did you come from?” He stammered.

“Huh?” Kamui blinked and looked around. 

“ Kamui! Takumi! Pay attention!” Ryoma roared.

The archer and dragon princess tore their eyes from each other and glanced at their big brother. Ryoma was pinned behind a wall of Invaders, his Rajinto shooting electricity of its blade at a dangerous rate. Azura was standing at the edge of the lake; her body covered in bruises and scrapes that bled water. The collective mist surrounding her was seeping back into the lake water; she put a hand against her mouth and heaved as she wiped away spittle.

“Oh pardon me!” Camilla sang as she jumped from her zombie wyvern and landed gracefully on the skull of an Invader. Her sharp heels forced the Invader’s body to smack the ground, a sickening crunch filling the air as its spine literally ripped from beneath its flesh.

She raised her leg and swung it sharply in a circle as the Invader’s around her collided with each other. They literally fell like a stack of dominos as Camilla stood back to back with Ryoma. She flicked back her lavender hair and smiled sweetly when she noticed Kamui’s spirit.

“Ah, there you Kamui,” She chirped.

“Is...she always this upfront?” Takumi asked.

“Pretty much.” Kamui shrugged as she summoned her Grim Yato to her hand.

Takumi shook his head and brandished his Fujin Yumi again, an azure arrow forming at his command just like he was used to. Even with Kamui standing next to him, he could feel her mind brushing against his. It was like a gateway had opened when she had said those words, could progression in their mutual forgiveness make this bond stronger? And if it did what other effects could it have besides making Takumi take on a physical form and making his arrows produce bubbles?

“Do watch out milord. Otherwise, you’ll end up as an undead boiled lobster.” Camilla teased Ryoma as she threw her axe between the eyes of a samurai he faced.

“Excuse me?” Ryoma balked as he effortlessly dodged another sword swing.

“Overcooked lobster tastes terrible. And I’m afraid your lobster has already been cooked,” Camilla smiled.

The former Crown Prince of Hoshido felt his mouth slacken if it wasn’t for his chin armor he feared his mouth might have fallen off. He barreled through a dozen more Invaders at her comment with a growl. The disrespect and teasing that the woman had used against him made his pride boil over.

“Oops, too late I suppose. Once a boiled lobster always a boiled lobster,” Camilla said lightly as she faced the opposite direction and joined Ryoma in his charge.

Kamui danced around Takumi’s form, her Yato cleaving through Invader after Invader as her brother tried to line up an accurate shot. He couldn’t stop glancing at his sister’s flickering form, for some strange reason he felt heat slowly climbing up his neck when he saw her dancing amongst the Invaders with slow twists. He knew that Kamui often relied on dodging and quick jabs to make up for her lack of attack power. But the way her white hair wavered with the multitude of colors racing across her flesh kept his focus from the battle.

Her back was to him, now was the perfect opportunity to take his shot.

Shaking his head violently, the former second prince aimed his strongest arrow between his fingers. He glanced at Kamui’s backside and gathered the Fujin Yumi’s energy between his palms.

“Takumi? What’s wrong?” Kamui asked.

The archer swallowed back his grief and let his tongue stick out briefly, now was the chance that he needed and he couldn’t waste it.

“Hey, Takumi? Are you okay?” Kamui called out.

Ignoring his sister, Takumi put all his energy into his shot and forced down the sorrow dwelling within his stomach. He pressed against his consciousness and allowed his instincts to drive the shot forward. His fingers let go of the Fujin Yumi’s string, and the azure arrow went flying in a flurry of feathers and bubbles.

“TAKUMI!” Kamui yelled.

A violent scream was heard resounding through the air as it increased in pitch. Ryoma and Camilla paused in their charge, their heads violently turning as they tried to make out the sound.

Azura’s torso was impaled by Takumi’s arrow, her dress and skin quickly bubbling away in a furious storm of bubbles. Her eyes had been blown wide open, and her mouth still hanging loosely as she stared angrily at Takumi. The collective mist was frozen in the air, and her spear fell from her grip.

“How dare you. Lord Anakos will get his revenge,” She gasped.

“Azura…” Kamui was about to step towards her but Takumi grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to his body. The albino woman didn’t fight against him, she allowed him to pull her towards his heart.

“Azura-” Ryoma raised his hand slightly.

The songstress looked past Takumi and directly at Kamui. For a moment her eyes softened and a delicate smile so like the original Azura graced her lips.

“I miss you Kamui,” She said lightly as her eyes briefly flickered back to gold.

The Invaders who had paused in their attack dissolved completely into water and Azura disappeared into a tornado of liquid just as Takumi had done when he died. Kamui looked towards the sky with sadness, her cheeks becoming outlined in faint lines of tears. She raised her hand towards the tornado as it disappeared into the heavens, her silent plea for Azura to stay dying in her throat.

Takumi silently tugged her back against his side and buried his chin in her white hair. The scent of earth filled his nostrils as his breath delicately moved the strands. Kamui let out an anguished sob and grabbed tightly onto his vest, and for a moment the archer didn’t mind that he could feel the cold where her warmth should have been.

“I failed Ryoma, I failed you, and I failed Azura,” She sobbed.

Takumi didn’t answer, he couldn’t think straight with the torrential wave of sadness that Kamui produced literally drowning out his own thoughts. He kept her close to him and could only stare ahead as Ryoma and Camilla made their way towards the pair.

“Oh, Sweetheart.” Camilla was about to put Kamui to her bosom, but Ryoma’s gauntleted hand grabbed her own and stopped her from approaching.

“Give her space,” He said sternly.

Takumi tried to speak, but the amount of pain and sorrow coming from Kamui was quickly sapping away at his strength. Kamui noticed the change and tried to pry herself away from him, but the archer instinctively grabbed on and kept her molded to his side.

“Now about that boiled lobster comment,” Ryoma said as calmly as he could.

“Yes? You look like a lobster,” Camilla stated.

“Excuse me Miss, but this armor is forged after the image of the grand Dawn Dragon,” Ryoma corrected.

“Lobster,” Camilla corrected.

“Um guys, Takumi is looking pale,” Kamui spoke up.

The arguing pair of adults ceased their squabbling when they took notice of Kamui’s concern. She could barely keep herself up straight, Takumi’s legs buckled beneath him and he was now leaning his entire weight on her. She glanced up at her siblings pleading eyes and sank slowly to the ground.

“Takumi? Hey, can you hear me?” Kamui called.

The former prince laid his head against her shoulder; he couldn’t stop himself from seeking out her warmth. He weakly glanced up at her, the side of his face burying into her soft skin.

“Brother, stay with us.” Ryoma bent down to their level and tried to shake Takumi’s shoulder. The former prince could barely feel his brother jostling his arm. He could only focus on Kamui’s scent.

“We should get him back to the castle. He looks feverish.” Camilla stepped away from the others and called out for Elise.

Takumi grumbled when he felt Ryoma’s hands move beneath his back. He tried to keep Kamui against his side, but his body was lifted away from her and the cycling colors faded quickly from his form. Kamui’s mind brushed against his, her sadness and pain automatically replaced by warmth and worry.

Takumi felt his Fujin Yumi being placed gently between his palms, and a hand carding through his hair. He weakly opened his eyes in time to see Kamui floating alongside Ryoma as their big brother marched towards Camilla and Elise. He couldn’t exactly move from Ryoma’s grip if he didn’t want to go face first into the dirt.

/ I’ll take over for you,/ Kamui said soothingly.

/ No. / Takumi managed to shake his head in protest and lifted his hand to grasp at her wrist.

/ Just…stay this time, / He said softly as his head lulled back against Ryoma’s cold armor.

/ Okay. / Kamui didn’t argue and resumed stroking her hand through his hair.

Takumi couldn’t decipher what anybody around him was saying, hell he could barely see even Kamui now that his vision was swimming. He closed his eyes and basked in the darkness behind his eyelids. Kamui’s mind constantly brushed against his and kept him calm. There was no torrential sea of emotion between them, just an abject calm that made him more at ease than he ever felt.

/ Hey Kamui? / He mumbled sleepily.

/ Yes Kumi? / Her voice felt so soft in his ears.

Takumi felt her fingers gliding across his cheek.

/ I’m sorry for slapping you,/ He whispered.

/ I forgive you. / Kamui said sweetly.

The dragon princess couldn’t stop her lips from fluttering when she saw her little brother smile in his sleep.


	16. Chapter 16: Embrace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Time for the next albeit minor plot bomb :) I’m going to try to alter my writing style a bit but what do my readers think? Should I experiment with my writing style?
> 
> Also, it has been made canon in the recent drama CDs that Takumi doesn’t remember Kamui at all when they reunite in Hoshido. And I realized that Ryoma’s eyes are gray and not brown…whoops.

When Takumi’s consciousness returned from the murky depths of sleep, he didn’t expect to feel gentle fingers stroking back his bangs. He wanted Kamui’s compassionate warmth coursing through his skin, but instead, his forehead was met with the soothing and foreign touch of cold steel.

His eyelashes fluttered as he tried to force his eyes to remain closed. Kamui wasn’t the one near him, but the presence was achingly familiar to the undead archer.

“I know you are awake Brother.” Ryoma’s baritone voice rumbled gently.

Takumi grumbled and tried to turn away from his big brother, but something heavy lying against his chest constricted his body. Huffing to himself, the archer finally allowed his amber irises to focus outwards. He was lying in Kamui’s bed with the covers pulled up comfortably to his chin. Ryoma stared down at him from his seat by the bed; his gauntleted hand still carding its way through Takumi’s hair.

“Don’t try to move Takumi,” Ryoma instructed as he swept back his fringe.

The Fujin Yumi sat on the pillow next to his head; it’s golden wood already dull from the lack of contact. Takumi’s eyes widened and he shot forward in panic when he noticed the state of his divine weapon.

“Takumi don’t!” Ryoma jumped up and gently pressed against his brother’s shoulders.

Immediately the former prince of Hoshido’s head swam and the room around him titled. He fell forward into Ryoma’s arms and bile climbed up the back of his throat. Ryoma’s hand slowly rubbed in between his shoulder blades, a small shudder left the silver-haired archer as his brother tended to his vertigo.

“Ryoma…” Takumi mumbled.

“Breathe, Brother, just breathe,” The samurai pleaded softly.

The archer allowed his lips to part, and a stream of cooling air soothed his lungs as he felt Ryoma’s fingers rubbing his back.

“You don’t have any energy. You shouldn’t sit up,” Ryoma chided.

A pang of anger wormed its way into Takumi’s heart; he shakily raised his palms and pushed back against Ryoma’s chest.

“Let go of me,” He huffed.

Ryoma complied by helping his brother to lie back against the pillows, his face not giving any semblance of emotion to Takumi’s response.

Takumi saw a flash of silver from the corner of his eye; he guided his fingers through his soft locks in surprise. Had Ryoma removed his hair tie? Or had it been Kamui while he was unconscious?

“How did I get here?” He asked.

“We brought you back here after you fainted.”

Shit, that was right. Takumi had revealed himself to the Nohrian Princesses and their retainers in his plight to find Kamui. It wasn’t just that he had taken on a physical form and fought against Azura. Those damn royals knew that Takumi still existed in this world, and now Ryoma had been dragged into this mess as well.

“Why am I still physical?” He grumbled; his pale hands shaking slightly as he tried to lift them from the blankets.

“You didn’t give Kamui back her body,” Ryoma stated.

Takumi slowly turned his head so that his flushed cheek was buried in his own hair in search of facing his older brother. He momentarily glanced in concern at the Fujin Yumi, not because it was damaged but because he was confused. Shouldn’t he have been sucked into that spiteful void when he let go of his divine weapon?

Ryoma caught his little brother glancing at his weapon and smiled reassuringly.

“That Nohrian Prince modified the spell he cast on you.”

“Who told you about that?”

“He did.” Ryoma crossed his arms over his broad chest.

“You actually TALKED to him?” Takumi started to sit up again but Ryoma’s firm hands gently forced him to lie still.

“He was the one who cast the spell. So he was the only one who knew how to fix it.” Ryoma reasoned.

The silver-haired archer slowly touched the wood of his bow; even in it’s deactivated state it responded with a wave of warmth.

“What exactly did he do?”

“Apparently the first spell he cast literally sealed you in the Fujin Yumi. Now you can retreat into it for safety, but you aren’t its prisoner.”

“Safety? I don’t need his protection spell. I’m fine.” Takumi insisted.

“Takumi this isn’t about the Nohrian Prince’s magic. It’s about keeping you safe.”

“Safe? I’m dead Big Brother. I don’t know how much safer I can get.”

“You saw what happened to Azura.”

Takumi’s eyes narrowed, he resisted the instinctive urge to tug at his hair and tried his best not to glare at Ryoma. A momentary flash of gold and blue flickered in the back of his head. Thinking about the captive songstress made bile accumulate in the back of his throat. A heavy ball of regret and sadness sank in the bottom of his stomach. Despite his growing embarrassment and his mind screaming to stop, the archer lurched forward with urgency.

Ryoma responded immediately by helping his little brother sit up and guiding his face towards a wooden bucket on the floor. He pulled back Takumi’s silver locks as the former prince of Hoshido vomited bile. Takumi’s cheeks reddened with humiliation, somewhere inside the darkness of his head that tiny voice shuddered and cried. How the heck was he going to be able to face his big brother now?

“Just let it out,” Ryoma soothed.

The archer was left panting and dry heaving a moment later, his shoulders shakily rising and falling rapidly as he failed to catch his breath. Ryoma handed him a spare rag, and Takumi grasped it weakly between his fingers with no response. He wiped away the remnants of the vomit, his stomach was empty but it still felt heavy with that accursed ball of regret. It was a feeling he had come to loathe during the war, the emotions of self-hatred and doubt were rising once again.

The last time he had felt this bad was when Kamui had turned her back on Hoshido.

“You aren’t used to being physical. Your emotions are making you feel this way.” Ryoma answered his confusion, his grey eyes echoing a shadow of worry behind a stoic frown.

“Let me guess…that Nohrian told you that?” Takumi retorted.

“No. You are an emotionally unstable person Brother. It’s obvious,” Ryoma commented plainly.

The embarrassment that tinted Takumi’s cheeks slowly turned maroon from indignation and anger. He allowed his frustration to snort from his nose and used the cloth to roughly rub against the skin of his cheek. His proper upbringing dictated that he couldn’t snap at his older brother like he wanted. Ryoma was supposed to be his example to follow; he wasn’t allowed to speak out of turn.

That would have been true if Takumi wasn’t supposed to be six feet in the ground.

“I doubt you came back from the afterlife just to lecture me, Brother,” He grumbled.

Ryoma’s eyes widened slightly but the tender frown set across his jaw didn’t shift. The slight stiffening of his shoulders was the only other sign that Takumi saw signaling his brother’s discomfort.

“Why are you actually here?” Takumi inquired.

“Mother sent me,” Ryoma said firmly.

Takumi’s haughtiness deflated out of him quickly, even in her well-deserved afterlife Mikoto still sought to care for her children. It was his mother that had warned him about his possession. She was the one who had given him back his beloved divine weapon. And now Mikoto was sending in the cavalry to protect her beloved son, all because she wanted him to be safe.

“She sent you to protect me…?” His voice was soft with his insecurity and sadness at the knowledge that Mikoto wasn’t here.

“She sent me to help you,” Ryoma corrected.

The armored samurai bent down on one knee and took the ruined rag away from his sibling. He tossed the rag into the waste bucket and encouraged the younger boy to drink from a glass of water on the nearby table. His frown deepened at the corners when he focused on the red cheeks and clammy skin of his younger brother. If what his mother had told him was true, then Takumi was in more trouble than he thought.

“Takumi, you are living on borrowed time,” Ryoma finally sighed.

“Ryoma, I know you are smarter than that. I’m not exactly you know ALIVE,” Takumi huffed.

“You are living through Kamui.” The samurai’s tone turned a bit rough.

“What are you talking about?” Takumi sat back up on the back of his elbows. His silver hair spilling over the edge of his neck.

“Leo’s spell sealed your soul within the Fujin Yumi.” Kamui’s voice cut through the tension. Takumi turned his head towards the doorway; he would never admit to himself that his heart palpitated when his eyes fell on his sister.

Kamui’s transparent skin flickered as she approached the bed, her carmine eyes were beyond tired and he could make out the bags etched underneath. The dragon princess made herself comfortable on the bed sheets. She let go of the spell book that she brought with her and flipped towards the page that Leo told her about.

“Because your soul is tied to your divine weapon, you have the ability to transfer your soul into the body of another,” Kamui drawled on flatly as her fingers brushed the paper.

Takumi swallowed back another wave of bile at the apparent exhaustion that emanated from his sister. Something was incredibly wrong with her if she was expressing her boredom in such a discontented way.

“But because I am the one who ended your life, your soul is also irreversibly tied to mine. You draw strength from my energy. I influence your emotions.” Kamui didn’t meet his inquisitive stare.

“Kamui…” Takumi reached for her hand, his fingers brushing against hers.

The dragon princess didn’t flinch, instead, her fingers curled lightly between his and for a second he saw a stream of pink crawl between their conjoined hands.

“I’m just out of energy,” She said tiredly.

“Do you want your body back?” Takumi asked he ignored the tiny protest in the back of his head asking him to stay among the living.

“Even if I do go back to being physical, I’ll still be weak.” Kamui smiled.

“Is that why I’m sick?” Takumi stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

“You and I combined our energy to take Azura down. That’s what left us like this.” Kamui gestured to their current position.

“The prince knows about Takumi?” Ryoma spoke up, a shadow of grimness overcoming his usually placid face.

“Elise, Camilla, their retainers and Leo all know about Takumi.” Kamui’s eyes darkened when she glanced at her big brother. The change in her attitude not going unnoticed by her little brother.

“This isn’t good Kamui. This is just going to make it harder for Takumi to pass on.” Ryoma tried to keep his tone even, but his frustration was very clear.

“I think it helps. He doesn’t have to only deal with me now,” Kamui said lightly.

Takumi frowned as his grip on her hand tightened, the cold emanating from her skin wasn’t right. She was warm where he was meant to be cold, it wasn’t right seeing her in such a downtrodden state. Wait, when had he started caring about his sister more than he had to? Wasn’t he just tolerating her so that he could finally find peace?

That tiny voice in the back of his head argued against him. It was obvious that she was starting to worm her way inside of his heart.

“Don’t you think they’ll try to use him against Hoshido?” Ryoma growled.

“Why would they use a ghost as a bargaining chip?” Kamui deadpanned.

Takumi snorted lightly, his big sister was a lot sharper than he gave her credit for. Sure her naivety at the ways of the world was still irritating, but her easy use of sarcasm was rather impressive. It only made it more humorous that her tone was gentle and light, it was like she wanted to make a point but didn’t want to insult anybody. What a contradictory woman.

“They could use his memory against our sisters,” Ryoma said firmly.

“You mean your sisters,” Kamui corrected.

Takumi’s humor died in his chest, he glanced at Kamui as she curled in on herself. She laid her head on her knees and watched as her eyes glittered up at Ryoma. Her expression was placid but the slump in her shoulders told everything about her position.

“Kamui they are your family.” Ryoma’s brow furrowed.

“No, I don’t deserve that title.” Kamui shook her head.

“Enough Kamui,” Ryoma commanded coldly, his chin armor exaggerating the length of his jaw.

The former Crown Prince of Hoshido marched over to Kamui’s side, his gauntleted hands came to rest on her thin shoulders. He guided her to stand and stared hard down at her.

“You are my sister. You will always be my sister.” He implored her to listen to his words, but the disbelief in her stance told him that he was failing.

“I don’t believe you.” Kamui tried to remove herself from his grip, but Ryoma dug his fingers deeper into her shirt.

“Then believe in our mother,” Ryoma pleaded.

Kamui’s eyes were wide and glimmering with unshed tears. She bit the inside of her cheek, a tiny fang poking out from between her lips. Mikoto still saw her as her daughter? Even after everything that has occurred? Why? Why would the woman who she could barely remember care so deeply? Especially after she turned her back on the Hoshidan siblings?

“It wasn’t your fault.” Ryoma gently wiped his thumb across her cheek. A silver tear touched the dull red of his armor.

“Mother doesn’t want to see you in this shape,” He whispered as he nuzzled the top of his chin in her white locks.

“Then why isn’t she here?” Kamui asked.

The question had a hurtful effect on both boys in the room, Ryoma visibly flinched and Takumi was gripping at the bed sheets with white fingers. The older brother’s fingers loosened around the fabric of his sister’s shirt. Her image flickered in a way that was too close to the constant reminder of death. She wasn’t ready to join them yet. He may have failed as her older brother, but he would not fail in making sure that she got to live.

There was no way that Ryoma was going to fail his little sister twice.

“Anakos is after our mother,” Ryoma finally relented.

“What?!” Takumi lurched upwards in bed, his silver locks splaying behind him in a flurry.

“He tried taking her spirit under his control.” Ryoma’s jaw tightened.

“Like he did with Azura…” Kamui’s eyes widened in realization.

“How?! How the fuck can he try that?!” Takumi demanded.

Both older siblings glanced at their little brother with shock, Kamui’s jaw literally hanging open.

“Takumi language!” She scolded.

“I don’t fucking care! Our mother is in danger!” Takumi yelled.

“Easy Brother, our Mother is safe. She just can’t cross over right now.” Ryoma raised a hand to placate his brother.

“Who the hell is this Anakos anyways?” Takumi tried to throw aside the blankets but Kamui rushed to his side and pushed against his torso.

“If you lie still I’ll tell you,” Kamui implored.

Surprisingly, the former second prince allowed her to guide him back against the pillows. She glanced down at his body for a moment, only now taking notice of the fact that he was more underdressed than he should have been. Most of the embellishments of his outfit had been removed, leaving only his thin under kimono that showed off just a little bit too much skin for her tastes.

Kamui ignored the cold rush threatening to take over her cheeks and adjusted the blankets to allow her brother some more movement. Unknowingly she let out a relieved breath when she saw his pant leg poking out alongside his bare foot. Dear gods, her mind was already starting to think of embarrassing situations if that hadn’t been the case!

“Well, who is he?” Takumi demanded, his impatience pulling Kamui back from the inside of her rather perverted mind.

“He’s the Dusk Dragon that Garon worshipped,” Kamui said.

Her words only increased the tension in Takumi’s features that had been threatening to spill over. His eyebrows shot upwards and she could tell from the veins in his throat that his anger was reaching a sharp point.

“The Dusk Dragon?” His tone was low and furious, but thankfully it wasn’t directed at her.

“When I fought against Garon, he made these constant references to his master. The same master that Azura serves now.” Kamui glanced down at her hands. She couldn’t face either of her brothers right now.

“How do you know it’s the same?” Ryoma inquired.

“Garon was a firm believer in the Nohrian Royal Family serving the Dusk Dragon. Calling our supposed “God” our true master. Who else would he worship but one in the same being?” Kamui spoke her thoughts out loud, no matter how much she tried to think of a different possibility it only made logical sense.

“So this Anakos was Garon’s master. And now he has not only Azura but he wants our Mother too?” Takumi sneered darkly, his words dripping with venom and distaste that Kamui knew was once directed at her.

She couldn’t stop her heart from feeling the serenity that told her he wasn’t talking about her.

“What if that was the reason that Garon wanted Mother dead?” Kamui whispered.

Takumi fumbled for her hand and tugged her urgently to his side. She stumbled over the bedspread and had to put her hands on either side of his head to balance herself. She focuses on his face, and the sight of her brother staring up at her with such agonized worry tugged at her heartstrings.

The slight furrow in his brow and the red on his cheeks made him appear more of the child that he actually was.

“Anakos ordered for our mother’s death?” He questioned.

“It’s the only logical reason,” Kamui reasoned as she felt his grip tighten on her palm.

“And now he wants her. Even after her body already buried in the ground!” Takumi slammed his fist against his legs, angry tears streaming down his brightened cheeks.

“Takumi!” Kamui called his name in concern. She tried to keep his fists from hitting his legs. But his violent movements jarred her from completely subduing him.

“I couldn’t protect her then! And now her soul is in danger!” He screamed angrily.

Kamui grabbed the sides of his face and pleaded with him to focus on her. But his tears continued to flow and his eyes were clenched shut. Takumi ceased his pounding on his legs and resorted to pulling at his hair. He started to kick his legs wildly in frustration, at his own ineptitude, to his own inferiority to Ryoma, to his uselessness as a fucking prince.

“No wonder I’m not loved in our family! I’m of no use to anyone!” Takumi’s screams grew higher in pitch. He couldn’t hear either of his siblings calling his name. He was too far-gone.

Suddenly he felt his body being pitched upwards, and his cheek was met with the feeling of soothing steel. Cold hands were furiously brushing aside his tears, and another pair of hands was combing their way through his fringe. He could hear both of his siblings calling out to him. Their tones were coated in worry and gentleness; even the wave of dizziness that dwelled in his head couldn’t stop his body from slowly calming under their presence.

“Don’t you dare say that Brother.” Ryoma’s baritone voice rumbled against Takumi’s cheek.

He was the one who was wiping away Takumi’s tears, the pretense of being a prince of Hoshido completely gone from their rocky foundation. Ryoma could care less about setting an example. He was going to comfort his brother, as he should have done all those years ago. It was his fault that Takumi felt so inferior, the image of his brother’s thrashing burned in the back of his head. He couldn’t stop his instincts from screaming at him, he had grabbed Takumi before he even really realized what he had done. Now the fearsome samurai was sitting on Kamui’s bed, with his little brother draped in his lap, and rubbing away his tears like he was a child.

No, Takumi WAS a child. He never had the opportunity to become a completely grown adult. He died at 18, a delicate age right on the cusp of maturity and manhood. Ryoma couldn’t blame Kamui for what she had to do, he had seen from the afterlife what had taken over his little brother. That twisted and desecrated corpse had only been a mockery of Takumi’s cruel fate. It wasn’t his little brother; he should have been there to save him.

There was no way in hell he was going to allow his brother any more pain.

“I’m sorry.” He breathed lightly as he watched Kamui brushing back Takumi’s hair.

Takumi’s body stiffened in his grip, and slowly his little brother stared up at him with bewilderment.

“Why are you apologizing?” He asked confusedly.

“I wasn’t a good brother,” Ryoma relented.

“How dare you,” Takumi growled. He started to pound his fists against Ryoma’s chest with weak anger.

“How dare you say that! You have no right!” Takumi yelled.

“Takumi stop.” Kamui grabbed his wrists and pulled them down into his lap.

“Let me go! He has no right to say that!” Takumi growled.

“Enough Takumi.” Kamui weaved her fingers through the locks near his ear and pulled them behind his neck.

Her eerie sense of calm slowly climbed up through his chest and into his aching head. The archer tried to fight against it, but his sister’s will won out in the end and his anger drained from his body. He stopped fighting against her and went limp in both of their arms. He managed to glare half-heartedly at Kamui, while it felt soothing to have his anger leave so easily he still didn’t enjoy having it be done against his will.

“I wasn’t able to protect Kamui. And I didn’t support you Takumi,” Ryoma said softly.

Both pairs of his younger sibling’s eyes focused on the ghostly samurai. He bit back a grimace that wanted to take form and forced himself to stare back at them. There was no point in trying to take back his words; he couldn’t allow that barrier to develop again when it was crumbling downwards already.

“When Kamui was kidnapped I focused all my energy on becoming King,” He lamented reluctantly.

Kamui arranged her legs to fold gracefully under her knees; Takumi took notice of her change of stance and leaned more into her embrace. The princess didn’t seem to mind having the extra weight; she merely went back to brushing back his hair in response.

“I put all of my focus into finding you Kamui. I neglected Takumi and Sakura as a result. They were much too young to understand like Hinoka and I did.” Ryoma continued to speak, the hurt in his frown not going unnoticed by either of his siblings.

“That’s no reason to talk down about yourself. You were the best warrior we had in the Hoshidan Army,” Takumi huffed.

Ryoma’s brow crinkled in confusion, if it weren’t for the painful tension between them Kamui would have found it endearing. This man who had spent so much of the war convincing himself that he could bring her home was literally being taken off guard by his little brother. The memories of facing him in battle when he hadn’t even flinched at the blood or the corpses she left in her wake swam behind her eyes. That wasn’t the man she was facing now, there was no impassible wall between them anymore.

Now she was literally staring at an older brother who was desperate to bond with his younger kin.

“I still ignored your needs. And I played a part in your emotional instability.” Ryoma was simply stating the facts, and yet Kamui couldn’t understand why Takumi was acting so offended.

“While that may be true that doesn’t mean you are completely at fault.”

Ryoma’s head snapped upwards, that unfamiliar cloud of worry hanging over his head made Kamui’s heart hurt. Underneath all of that dull armor and that divine katana he wielded, Ryoma was just as much of a vulnerable man as Xander was. For a moment she thought to herself if she had stayed in Hoshido would he have shown her the same level of concern?

“I let my jealousy rule my life for so many years. I built a wall around myself so I could hide my hateful emotions away from you.” Takumi clenched at his brother’s jacket and refused to meet his gaze.

“I lived under the shadow of an ideal older brother, a sturdy older sister, and the mystery of a sibling I could barely recall.” The youngest of the three siblings pulled his brother closer. Ryoma couldn’t ignore the insistent tug at his trench coat, never in his lifetime had Takumi acted so imploringly for his attention.

“I focused only on getting stronger, somehow I convinced myself that my only purpose in life was to serve you.” More bitter tears collected at the corners of his eyes, but Takumi willed them not to fall.

“You are wrong,” Ryoma said sternly. He gripped Takumi’s chin and forced him to look at him fully.

“You were never meant to serve me Takumi. You needed to find your own path.”

“Wish I had figured that out sooner,” Takumi chuckled bitterly.

“You are smart Takumi, you would have come to your own conclusion eventually.” Ryoma lets go of his chin and allowed Kamui to crawl closer.

Takumi was surrounded on both sides by this bone-chilling cold that seeped through his thin clothes. Kamui’s arms wrapped tightly around his middle and Ryoma wrapped his around both of their smaller frames.

“What’s important is that you are here now,” Kamui said as she leaned her face against Takumi’s sweet smelling hair.

“Do you think you could ever learn to forgive me Takumi?” Ryoma asked.

Takumi balked at his brother’s earnest question, what exactly was there to forgive? Both men had been stupid in their own way; it wasn’t Ryoma’s fault that Takumi had become possessed in the first place. He was about to snap at his brother’s ignorance, but he couldn’t bring himself to voice his irritation after everything that Ryoma had revealed. There was no going back now; whatever crumbling wall had been between the two brothers was tumbling down rapidly. And it was all because they had no reason to keep up appearances in front of the court anymore.

It felt weird to say, but Takumi couldn’t tell if he was glad he was no longer a proper prince of Hoshido. He obviously missed his sisters and the life that he had managed to build in his beloved homeland.

But having the opportunity to talk to Ryoma in such an open way was a gift on its own.

“With time anything is possible,” Takumi finally said.

Ryoma smiled gently at his words, it wasn’t going to be an immediate thing to regain his brother’s trust. But he nodded in response and allowed Takumi to fully deposit himself in Kamui’s lap. The princess was caught off guard by her little brother’s movement, but when she glanced at her hands her attention was pulled to the latest color flowing between where their skin touched.

A soothing and encompassing blue, not dark in sadness and not light in happiness but calm all the same.

“I’ve already begun to forgive Kamui. I can do the same for you.” Takumi glanced at his brother.

Ryoma nodded again in response and climbed off of the bed. Kamui tried to maneuver away from Takumi, but the exhausted archer refused to budge from her lap. He glanced up at her with a scowl and folded his arms stubbornly across his chest.

“Stay.” Despite the scowl on his face, his one command was more of a plea than an order.

Kamui giggled into her hand, even with their progress in their relationship he was still putting up appearances. She relented in his plea and shifted her body so she was sitting against the headboard. Takumi leaned his head against her shoulder and kept his hands folded across his chest. It was obvious he had no intentions of moving anywhere.

“Ryoma can you hand me a book?” Kamui asked.

“He’s not moving is he,” Ryoma commented as he moved over to one of Kamui’s many bookcases.

“Nope,” Takumi huffed.

“How about ‘The Captain and his Cabin?’” Ryoma asked.

“Oh, dear gods no! That’s one of my corset rippers…” Kamui whispered.

“Kamui, is there something you aren’t telling me?” Ryoma’s eyes narrowed as he glanced back at his little sister.

“I was a teenage girl who didn’t have anybody to talk to. I had to keep myself occupied.” Kamui said as she elbowed Takumi for laughing.

“Understandable. I suppose I’ll skip over anything with a questionable title.”

“Don’t knock them till you try them, Brother.”

“I think I’ll pass.” The ghostly samurai finally walked over with a broad book of fairytales.

“You really should find a more wholesome hobby for ladies Sister,” Takumi chided.

“Says the ghost who likes to pop in on me when I’m changing.”

“That was one time!” Takumi’s cheeks reddened again.

“Twice actually.” Kamui took the book from Ryoma and flipped to one of her favorite stories.

Ryoma pulled up the nearby chair and folded his legs together as he watched Takumi fidget. It was so refreshing to know that Kamui was starting to brighten again. Mikoto had been so concerned about her daughter; the former queen wanted nothing more than to hug her child to her bosom. But now was not the right time for Mikoto to appear, and until their plan proceeded Ryoma was more than content to stay in her place.

Kamui pinched Takumi’s cheek playfully; she ignored him pushing away her hand and started to read from her favorite story.

‘Our plan will succeed Mother,’ Ryoma thought as he watched Takumi settle down in Kamui’s lap again.

‘Anakos will not have my brother. And he will not take your daughter. I swear.’

Even with the serene smile on Kamui’s face, Ryoma knew it wouldn’t last forever. Eventually, she would find out that his appearance was a lie, and that everything she knew had been a farce. The knowledge of Anakos being behind Garon’s power and the war that besieged Hoshido did not sit well in his heart.

If Kamui ever found out the truth about their relationship it would break her. And Ryoma knew he couldn’t allow that to happen. He had to keep Kamui safe for Takumi’s and Mikoto’s sake.

“Remember Ryoma, Kamui is your sister. Even if we are not connected by blood.”

‘I know Mother. But how long can we hide that from her?’

There was no reply. Not that Ryoma had been expecting one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter. Ow.


	17. Chapter 17: Never Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I’m thinking of writing a chapter to focus on Kaze, Jakob, and the other retainers. It’s been established that one or more are constantly in the background. Would anybody like a chapter or two dedicated to the side characters/retainers?I also started focusing on my grammar a bit more. It's an improvement!

“You know, maybe it’s time you let me up.”

“No.”

“Takumi, don’t you think you should let her-”

“Nope.”

“Takumi listen...”

“Don’t have to.”

Kamui felt Takumi’s cold hands digging into her own palms, his stubborn scowl insisting that she stay put. He had reluctantly relinquished control of their shared physical form so Kamui could have her normal state back. Honestly, she couldn’t consider it her own body anymore. Not when she could still feel Takumi’s mind pressing against her own and his newly discovered ability to take physical form at will.

She had been trying for the last 20 minutes to leave the bed so she could take a much-needed bath. However, her brother insisted that she stay with him so that he could “keep an eye on her.” But whenever Kamui and Ryoma exchanged glances, the older pair of siblings couldn’t stop from sharing a sigh at their younger brother’s blatant lies.

The calming blue circulating between their hands had an effect on the ghost archer. The bags under his eyes were slowly fading, and his already pale skin was going back to a healthier shade of gray. Even Kamui was slowly feeling her energy levels finally picking back up. Her headache was disappearing, and she didn’t feel unstable when sitting up anymore.

The unsettling cold that often accompanied Takumi’s touch was much more welcoming now. It probably had something to do with him finally beginning to accept her, a fact that lightened Kamui’s heart considerably. It set up a faint spark of hope in her chest; maybe she could still fix her mistakes and give her little brother the rest he deserved.

“I need to take a bath.” Kamui lets go of his hands and managed to wiggle away from the bed.

“Hey!” Takumi huffed as he fell back against the bedspread in surprise.

“Hey, yourself. I stink,” Kamui quipped; she grabbed a towel from her boudoir and removed her headband.

“You don’t smell bad, though,” Takumi muttered.

Kamui paused in brushing her fingers through her tangled locks, her heart stuttered for a moment. She could feel her cheeks starting to tingle with that all too familiar heat. Fighting back the wave of embarrassment, the dragon princess coughed into her open palm and calmed her nerves.

It was just an innocent comment; Takumi was just trying to be less offensive than he usually was.

“Obviously our little brother is trying to be a gentleman,” Ryoma joked.

“Hey! It is proper for every prince to treat a lady with respect!”

“Oh, so basically you are saying you see our sister as a lady and not as ‘Nohrian Scum?’ ” Ryoma lifted a brow, his mouth twitching in amusement.

Both dragon princess and archer visibly flinched with Ryoma’s attempt at casual conversation. Kamui gripped the edge of her boudoir, her pale fingers turning practically white with the strain. Takumi resorted to gripping at his silver locks in angry fists; he pulled harshly and actually dislodged a few strands.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Ryoma said awkwardly.

“Ryoma, with all of your tactical genius humor, is not one of your strengths,” Kamui replied her voice edged with sorrow.

“Forgive me for my poor choice of words,” The samurai whispered.

“I’m fine.” Kamui shook her head and flipped the towel over her shoulder.

She brushed past the ghost of her older brother and stopped at the edge of her bed. Takumi’s face was buried in her pillows, and the blankets were haphazardly flipped over his underdressed image. The dragon princess frowned and brushed back a lock of his hair. The ghost archer weakly lifted his fingers and met her flesh with his own as a quick flick of dark blue skittered across their touching fingers.

“Those words have a deeper effect on your brother.” Kamui glanced at Ryoma.

Ryoma’s eyes darkened, and the skin beneath his dull armor flickered a little. Kamui removed her fingers from Takumi’s and crossed the room in complete silence. She could comfort her brothers when she got that bath out of the way.

“Talk to him Ryoma. It’s bad that at this point I know more about him than you do,” Kamui pleaded as she shut the door behind her.

The undead samurai delicately placed his soul on the edge of the bed, his fingers twitching in instinct to pet Takumi’s shoulder. Takumi’s amber irises were darkened with sadness, but when he stared up at his older brother his gaze wasn’t accusatory.

“I didn’t mean to mock you.” Ryoma’s tone was rough with regret.

“You didn’t mock me.” Takumi rolled over to face away from his brother.

“I don’t understand,” Ryoma admitted.

“That name reminds me of all the hateful things I said to Kamui.”

Takumi’s back straightened as he tried to bury his face inside of his hands in shame. His older brother hesitated to move, the samurai wasn’t prepared to comfort his sibling again if Takumi broke down crying. Instead of trying to gather him up, the older brother simply weaved his fingers through his little brother's hair.

“I have heard you call the Nohrian Royals such names,” Ryoma stated.

“Don’t tell me you were watching over me from the afterlife.”

“Of course, Mother and I keep watch over all of our siblings.”

Takumi didn’t scoff, he stared at the door that Kamui had exited through.

“Then did you see what happened to me?” He asked.

Ryoma sighed through his nose and removed his hand from Takumi’s hair. He removed the gauntlets covering his fingers and comfortably settled his projected body on the bed. Takumi turned his face slightly to watch his older brother in surprise; he didn’t have time to respond when he felt strong fingers at the back of his head. Ryoma gently turned his brother’s head to face away from him and picked up Kamui’s brush on the nightstand.

When Takumi felt the bristles sweep between the strands of his hair, he let out a shout and shot upwards. He swiftly turned to face his older brother, his eyebrows arching in confusion and an unspoken question forming on his tongue. Ryoma lifted a brow with the small brush still hovering in the air.

“W-what are you doing?” Takumi tried to calm his breathing.

Brushing your hair,” Ryoma said casually.

“But why?” The younger brother asked.

“You relax when someone brushes your hair.”

“Y-yeah but I’ve never had my older brother do it!”

"Can I at least try?”

Takumi wanted to shake his head, but he swallowed harshly and silently turned his back to Ryoma. The older man smiled gratefully at the back of his brother’s head and proceeded to run the brush through the silver locks. His touch was light as a feather, and his sharpened senses didn’t miss the subtle shiver coursing through Takumi’s shoulders. The archer’s shoulders drooped slightly with each stroke of the brush until they eventually slackened completely.

“I assume you mean when Kamui killed you,” Ryoma said after a moment.

“Y-yeah.” Takumi’s cheeks grew colder and grayer.

“Why do you ask?” Ryoma watched the brush climb to the top of Takumi’s scalp.

“I can’t remember what happened.”

“You don’t remember fighting Kamui?”

“No. I remember being in the afterlife and losing my body…”

Ryoma watched his fingers travel down through the downy threads. If there was anything he hated to admit it was that he felt a tiny twinge of jealousy in his heart. He was the older brother who only now started to realize how much of a shadow he cast on his younger sibling. He was supposed to be this damned image of a perfect warrior, prince, and man that could do nothing wrong. And yet here he was experiencing that tiny incessant burn in his chest whenever he thought of the growing bond that Takumi and Kamui shared. That slight sense of envy when he gazed at Takumi’s silver hair, and how the samurai disdainfully yelled at himself for envying his brother’s appearance.

It didn’t matter if Ryoma had all this strength and power. His younger brother was more gifted in tactics, politics, and he wasn’t a bad looking young man either. And the brunette hated himself for silently wishing that he could be better.

If Takumi ever found out about how Ryoma yearned to be a bit more like him, his emotions would break him apart.

“Brother?” One of Takumi’s amber irises was watching him suspiciously.

“Oh. Yes, I did see what became of your body.”

“Well, what happened to me?”

“You suffered the same fate as Azura. Except worse.”

An involuntary shudder ran through Takumi’s image, his shoulders disappeared before flickering back into visibility.

“How much worse?”

“You couldn’t make coherent sentences. Your body was undead.”

“How was Azura’s body any different? We both evaporated.”

“Azura’s body is made of water. This Anakos used your mangled corpse.”

The older male reached for the red hair ribbon that sat on the bedside table. He clenched it between his teeth as his fingers started to gather Takumi’s massive locks. The younger male watched him from over his shoulder, the shining unspoken question in his eyes made Ryoma’s cheeks feel just a tiny bit colder.

He managed to remain stoic as he continued to separate the silver hair sitting in his lap. Why was his little brother gifted with such smooth locks? Why were Sumeragi and Ryoma himself cursed with rat nests?

“Okay, another question for you. Why did you say I am living on borrowed time?”

“You are connected to Kamui,” Ryoma said between clenched teeth.

“I know that already.” Takumi huffed.

“You are sharing her life.”

“I know that too. Do you know anything that isn’t so obvious?”

“When Kamui dies, you will be left alone.”

Takumi’s image disappeared completely for a split second before the younger brother popped back into existence with him fully facing Ryoma. Half of his hair was still in the samurai’s grip, leaving the other half of his head sticking up haphazardly and draping over his shoulder. His brow was furrowed fully and there was a substantial frown growing on his face.

“W-what?” Takumi squeaked.

“If you can’t learn to forgive before our sister dies you will be left here alone.”

The Fujin Yumi resting on the pillows started to darken with the turmoil that Takumi was projecting. His amber irises were glimmering with unshed frustrated tears, but he simply scowled and refused to let the shame fall. He glared at his fists and willed his soul not to scream out in anger.

“How very tactful of you,” Takumi growled.

“You are the one who asked about what I meant,” Ryoma said calmly.

“You could have been nicer about it.” The younger male glowered.

“Takumi why are you getting so worked up about it? The solution is simple.”

The archer bit his lip and shoved himself off of the bed to stand on shaky legs. He balled his fists at his sides before grabbing the Fujin Yumi and activated the string to tie against his back. He ignored the weight of his hair dragging behind him and failed to keep his spirit calm. Now was not the time to snap at his brother, they were just starting to reforge their bond.

But his older brother’s lack of tact and sympathy really rubbed Takumi the wrong way.

“Says the person who can return to the afterlife at any time,” He said coldly.

If you just let go of the past we can go together.” Ryoma stood up.

“Do you not remember what the Nohrians did?!” Takumi turned violently, his hair whipping him in the chest and face.

“Kamui sided with a family that she knew best,” Ryoma stated.

“I wasn’t talking about Sister,” Takumi growled.

“You can’t separate Kamui from the Nohrians.” The older brother folded his hands across his armored chest.

Takumi focused on his connection with Kamui, hoping that she could quell the building pressure in his sternum with her calming energy. He really wasn’t in the mood to argue with his brother, hell he could barely stand and he kept flickering out of existence. The Fujin Yumi was humming against his back as if it was silently asking its master to rest inside of it. There was no way in the 7 circles of the underworld was Takumi going back to that irritating void anytime soon.

Kamui responded with a calming wave, her mind was further away from his but he could still sense the curiosity peaking in her thoughts.

“You tried more times than I can count,” Takumi replied.

“I didn’t endanger the lives of my Hoshidan men by constantly chasing after her.”

Takumi’s anger flashed hotly, his sharp response causing Kamui to press against the back of his skull in concern. Her calming energy turned sour, and her thoughts were buzzing with worry.

“At least I didn’t try to convince her to come back by trying to kill her little sister.”

“No, but your poor judgment left many of our men dead and you under possession.”

That last comment stung the worst, Takumi’s emotional control let loose and he allowed his face to pull back in a tranquil mask. His silver hair started to float eerily behind his head, and his eyes darkened slightly in hue. Kamui’s mind was calling out to him, her spirit crying out as if he had been possessed.

Takumi gently brushed his mind against hers, he wasn’t being possessed this unfamiliar tranquility was all him. He lifted his chin defiantly at Ryoma, a single thought trailing past his lips as he calmly replied.

“Kamui was right. You know hardly anything about me.”

Ryoma’s hand went to his Rajinto, it was clear that the undead samurai had been instinctively preparing to knock Takumi out if he tried anything. The thought of his older brother seeing him as a threat made the younger archer laugh to himself. He had no rhyme or reason to attack his older brother, sure he was irritating and judgmental but he loved Ryoma all the same.

Too bad underneath his false sense of calm, his heart rang in sadness with a single question. Did Ryoma truly love him? Or was it just out of his sense of duty that he came back from the dead?

“Maybe if you saw the shadow you cast over the rest of us you would know why,” He said serenely.

Ryoma’s grip slackened on his sword, his brow furrowed in confusion and the sight would have been amusing if Takumi didn’t feel so shitty beneath his mask.

“I made mistakes. But at least I don’t try to stand so mighty above others.”

The younger of the two former princes showed his back to his brother, he bent down and gently scooped up the hair ribbon that had fallen from Ryoma’s earlier movements.

“How about you learn to come down from your perch then we’ll talk.” Takumi frowned at his brother and phased through the door in search of Kamui.

He didn’t notice Ryoma’s outstretched hand beckoning for him to hear him out.

********

When Kamui emerged from her bath a few moments later, she hadn’t been expecting for Takumi’s grief to literally knock her off her feet. She staggered backward and landed sharply against the cold stone behind her. Her wet hair clung to her robes, but it wasn’t that source of cold that made her double take.

Takumi was clenching at her robes, his image appearing before her out of nowhere. His cold fingers dug through the thick cotton of her chemise, and the chaotic mixture of color racing across their forms left her staring at him in befuddlement.

Instead of asking him or berating him, the dragon princess carefully guided him into the bathroom that she emerged from. She sat him down at the massive mirror and took hold of his signature ribbon.

Her delicate fingers felt much softer than Ryoma’s sturdier ones, and her warmth slowly released the vice that had grasped at Takumi’s heart. She started to hum a soulful tune as her fingers slowly weaved together his hair.

“I guess it didn’t go very well.”

Takumi shrugged and stared at his dismal image in the mirror. Compared to his gray skin and practically colorless form, Kamui seemed to glow with the life he sorely missed. He didn’t understand why he had rushed to find her, but maybe it had something to do with her increasingly important role in keeping him calm. Damn, that Nohrian Prince was right. Kamui’s emotions affected him and kept him grounded.

“Give him time Kumi. Ryoma isn’t a bad person,” Kamui said soothingly.

“I know. But his density rubs me the wrong way.”

Kamui’s fingers carefully tied his locks back in a thick braid; she used his ribbon to tie the ends and allowed his hair to drape over his left shoulder.

“I’m pretty dense as well. After all, I didn’t know why my choice hurt you so much at the time.” She smiled sadly as she watched Takumi grip at his new hairstyle.

“But the difference is you actually take the time to understand me.”

“Only after a lot of difficulties, you aren’t the most approachable person.”

Kamui’s chin came to rest against Takumi’s scalp; her white hair fell over her shoulders and intermingled with his silver threads. The confusing mixture of color that reflected Takumi’s mood had slowed to a crawl, the serene blue from before slowly replacing the chaos that had previously consumed his being.

“Hey!” Takumi huffed indignantly.

The dragon princess laughed and squished his cheeks together with the heels of her palms. Takumi yelped in surprise and tried to pry her fingers away from his skin, but the obviously darker gray on his cheekbones and the increasing cold told Kamui that she had been successful.

“He said I was going to end up alone,” Takumi whispered.

Kamui’s smile faltered, and she could only watch as her brother slowly removed her fingers from his face and placed them against his braid. His face was downcast, but he didn’t appear to be completely distraught otherwise she would have felt it.

“I am here because of your life. If you die then..” Takumi’s shoulders started to shake.

“If you don’t forgive me before then you’ll be left alone,” She concluded.

“Yeah.” Takumi’s face dropped into his hands.

“That isn’t true,” Kamui said confidently.

She leaned her front entirely against his back and wrapped her arms around his middle. Takumi fought back a squeak in his throat when he felt her chest pushing against his spine. She wasn’t very well endowed, but the thin cotton didn’t leave very much to his imagination. He could feel her bosom pressing against his thin undershirt, and the curve of her stomach folding against the curve of his back.

If there was any time that Takumi was grateful for no longer having a blood flow it was now. If he was in physical form, or if he had his own body he knew he would have already spontaneously combusted.

“It will take time, but I am not going to leave you here alone.”

The conviction in her words made fresh tears spring against the corners of his pupils. He glanced up at her reflection and made full eye contact with his sister through the glass.

“Why do you say that?”

Kamui smiled gently and nuzzled the side of his head. Her arms pulled him into a backward hug and the calming blue circulating between them slowly shifted into an affectionate pink.

“Because I love you too much to leave you on your own.” She kissed his scalp.

Takumi couldn’t find the strength to speak; he silently tugged at his braid and stared directly at Kamui’s reflection. He ignored the faint tears that trailed down his face but tried his best to give her a grateful smile. It was half-hearted, but it seemed to be enough for his sister. She smiled back at him and held his hand against his shoulder.

Her words were more than enough to keep his hope alive.

It was more than enough for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ryoma you really need to work on your conversation skills.


	18. Chapter 18: Warning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Happy Holidays everyone. This chapter took longer than normal because I’m entering finals for my semester at university. I hope you don’t mind the inconvenience.

/ Sister, could you please try just once NOT TO THROW ME INTO THE VOID PLEASE. /Takumi mentally yelled.

Kamui flinched as she held the Fujin Yumi between her fingers, she could feel her brother’s irritation bubbling in the back of her skull. Sucking in a light breath, the dragon princess steadied her body and tried to focus on their conjoined energy. If they were doomed to face Azura again, they had to be ready to switch physical forms with ease.

Too bad that there was no adrenaline or urgency to get Kamui to fully commit to the idea.

The former prince of Hoshido yelped when Kamui’s fingers let go of the divine bow. The golden wood lost its glow and flopped uselessly against the stone floor of the courtyard. The silver-haired archer grew tired of his sister’s uselessness and forced his head to peek out from his weapon.

“KAMUI!” He yelled.

He was prepared to lecture his older sibling on her own stupidity and stubbornness until his face turned completely white. But when he opened his mouth to begin his tirade, his eyes caught the sight of Kamui’s back turned to him.

“I don’t think I can do this.” Kamui lamented.

Takumi pulled himself completely out of the Fujin Yumi; his image flickered briefly before reconstructing slightly above where the bow lay. He straightened his clothing and made sure his ponytail was in place. Despite being dead, the silver-haired archer refused to show any sign of laziness when it came to his appearance. These may have been the clothes he died in, but that wasn’t going to stop him from trying to appear presentable at all times.

“How else are we going to get better at this without practice?” He chided.

“I don’t see any reason to be prepared in the first place,” Kamui countered.

“Don’t you want to save Azura?” Takumi forced his voice to remain steady, the negative emotions brewing in Kamui’s side was enough to make him gag.

Kamui’s thunderous expression caught him off guard as she turned around to face him. Her carmine eyes were darkened with sadness and out of nowhere fresh tears poured down her stricken face. The dragon princess bit the side of her lip, and the delicate skin broke beneath the pressure of her teeth.

“How can I save her? She’s possessed!” Kamui cried.

The negativity and sadness gripped Takumi’s heart like a vice, but the familiar darkness wasn’t his own. The intensity of the fire biting at his heels was coming from the woman standing across from him. Her body remained stiff, and her eyes never left his. But the sorrow, anger, despair, and hopelessness swept the ghost’s focus away.

“Sister! Stop!” Takumi cried out.

The intensity grasping at him disappeared as quickly as it came. Takumi stumbled and weakly waved his arms in a semi-circle to steady himself. Kamui circled her hands under his arms and pulled him close to her chest to help. The fire that burned slowly cooled under his touch and gently enveloped his soul once more.

“What is wrong with you?” Takumi grumbled.

“Sorry,” Kamui replied softly.

The younger male glanced up at his sister, usually, he was taller than her by a couple of inches but at that moment he was bent over in exhaustion. Kamui casually ran her fingers through his hair, on his scalp. Her fingers danced over the ribbon keeping his hair back, but even with her soothing touch, she was refusing to look at him.

“Sister, don’t ignore me again,” Takumi growled.

“Are you really that fearful of me not seeing you anymore?” She asked.

The silver-haired archer pulled back from her and grabbed her wrists forcefully.

“You promised you wouldn’t leave me alone,” He said in an increasingly worried tone.

“Takumi what-” Kamui tried to ask but her brother just tightened his grip on her wrists.

“You promised,” He urged in a mixture of irritation and worry.

Kamui felt what she could essentially describe as bitterness climbing up the back of her throat. Takumi’s skin felt increasingly cold the longer he held onto her, and his eyes were blown wider than she remembered. His pupils were completely dilated, what remained of his amber irises was brighter than normal. The cold felt biting against her warm flesh, but when she tried to remove his grip he simply grabbed on tighter and stared at her.

“Don’t be stupid. I’m not leaving you,” Kamui reassured.

She could feel his worry and disbelief swimming together in her mind, the cacophony of his thoughts slowly dimmed into a minor hum. It made sense for Takumi to have doubts about her words; even with their improving relationship, he didn’t trust her completely. But why was he so insistent on her staying?

“How do I know you’re not lying?” Takumi asked.

“Why are you being so insistent?” Kamui countered.

The ghostly prince glared at his sister with no venom in his gaze. His frown deepened and he finally relented on his vice grip on her wrists. He gingerly picked up the Fujin Yumi from the ground and twirled it idly between his fingers.

“I-I just don’t want to be the only one who can’t pass on,” He stammered.

Kamui didn’t believe one word he said; instead, she could faintly sense his embarrassment and hesitation behind the harsh mask he tried to wear. She tilted her head slightly to the side and brushed her mind against his. The result was a staggering Takumi who violently stiffened and turned faster on his heel than Jakob could when he sensed his lady in need of tea.

“You are lying.” Kamui stepped closer to her brother.

“I am not,” He insisted.

The dragon princess folded her hands behind her back and smiled slightly. Her own depression over Azura disappearing momentarily. She gingerly brushed her mind against Takumi’s once more, and again the ghost stiffened and glared at her.

“Stop it,” He grumbled.

“Stop what?” Kamui asked.

She brushed her mind against his for the third time.

“Stop trying to pry into my head,” Takumi said angrily.

“I can’t read your thoughts unless you let me,” Kamui stated.

She gently put her arms against his shoulders; her fingers didn’t dig into his shirt and remained stationary. Takumi’s image flickered, but he didn’t disappear from her sight and his shoulders slowly started to relax. His clenching fist loosened around the base of his Fujin Yumi.

“I don’t want anybody to know my thoughts,” He said slowly.

“Is it because nobody can understand?” Kamui’s brow furrowed.

“No.” Takumi shook his head; his face remained turned away from the albino standing behind him.

“I…I don’t trust myself,” Takumi whispered after a long moment of silence.

His mind brushed hesitantly against hers, she could only briefly feel his sadness and loneliness before it was buried under his usual incredulity. Takumi fiddled with the glowing string of his weapon, he focused on the Dusk Dragon statue standing 20 feet away from the pair of siblings.

“You remember how I reacted to Big Brother’s insecurities?” He asked quietly.

Kamui swallowed back the dryness in her throat and simply nodded her head. Takumi didn’t turn to watch her motion, but he sighed as if he could clearly see her from the back of his head.

“I felt offended that he would think so lowly of himself…because…I...” Takumi huffed and pinched his brows together.

“Because your own self-hatred is unbearable enough?” Kamui inquired.

Takumi slowly turned his head to face her, for a moment Kamui thought she could see a slight shimmer of tears treading carefully against his eyelids. But when she blinked they were gone. The ghost gave no expression, but the slight furrow of his brow and the shallow huff he gave signaled that she was correct.

“I told you to stop reading my mind,” Takumi huffed.

“I wasn’t reading your mind. You readily admitted to such insecurities before,” Kamui corrected with a slight waggle of her index finger.

“I guess I have," Her brother admitted lazily, a tiny smile playing across his pale lips.

The dragon princess could feel her cheeks grow warmer and her heart stutter for a moment. For such a tumultuous person, Takumi could be so pleasant and sweet when he wanted to be. His usual scowls were part of his character, but whenever he smiled it always felt like a victory on its own.

“Why are you acting so easy around me?” She asked.

The smile fell from Takumi’s face; he glanced away from her and tangled his fingers in his ponytail.

“You have been very patient with me. Even during our arguments,” He mumbled.

Takumi lifted one of his hands and twirled it idly in his sister’s white locks. How peculiar it was that she as pale as she was. Nobody else in his family had her fair skin, or her bleached hair, or those carmine eyes that constantly drew out the emotions in her heart. Logically there had to be more to Kamui than Mother or Ryoma claimed. It must have something to do with that strong dragon blood that allowed her to transform.

Takumi tilted his head to the side in mild curiosity, he could barely recall his Father, but surely King Sumeragi had strong dragon blood too didn’t he? Why else would Kamui have the ability to turn into a gigantic reptile? It would also explain why Takumi’s own hair was paler than his other siblings. His dragon blood might be milder but it still bleached his hair similar to his older sister’s right?

“I am very...grateful for you tolerating me,” He says calmly.

Kamui gasped when she felt a rush of mild affection and gratefulness race through her body. The ghost’s cheeks were grayer than ever and he refused to make eye contact, but the fingers twirling in her hair remained gentle.

“For all of the flaws I have shown…you never mocked me or belittled me.” Takumi’s voice was serene, even with his embarrassment he found the strength to speak steadily.

“I don’t see why you are thankful. I am your killer,” Kamui argued.

“You SAVED me, Sister. Can’t I be thankful that I’m not damned to an eternity of possession?”

“But you wouldn’t BE dead if I hadn’t made such a stupid choice!” Kamui yelled.

There was a pregnant pause between the pair of siblings; Kamui’s logic was strong but Takumi rolled his eyes at her regret. The ghost had just about enough of her pity party and her downtrodden attitude, it was one thing to own up to one’s actions it was another when they acted so depressing about the past. He had no future or present anymore, but she had no right to think the same.

“Now you listen here, Sister. You have no right to say that,” Takumi growled.

He placed the Fujin Yumi across his shoulders as part of the habit he recently formed and pinched Kamui’s cheeks between his fingers. Kamui lifted her hand and tried to pry off his grip but the same bright eyes and frigid temperature emanating from his skin stopped her. His grip wasn’t harmful; in fact, it was deliberately gentle and cautious.

“You need to let go of the past. You chose your path, and now you have to deal with it,” Takumi huffed.

“Since when did you become my life consultant?” Kamui lifted a single brow.

Takumi stuttered and stumbled, his fingers loosening from her smooth skin. For all of her depression and negativity, Kamui’s sarcasm and wit had increased behind Takumi’s back. The naïve woman who stumbled when wearing sandals back in Hoshido was not coming back. While she wasn’t exactly bitter to anybody, she was obviously exhausted and more associated with reality.

The ghost resumed grasping his sister’s chin, he glanced downwards and watched as a small stream of maroon raced between his digits and across her full cheeks. It was too dark for her pale flesh; she looked much better with the blues or pinks that were created when she was happy.

Wait, what?

“Takumi? Why are you staring at me?” Kamui’s brow furrowed. A delicate pink blush formed near her cheekbones.

“Do you trust me?” Takumi blurted out. He couldn’t let his embarrassment stop him from trying to push Kamui forward. Gods, she would never let him live it down if she caught wind of his observations on her appearance!

“Of course,” She responded easily.

Kamui put her fingers over his and spread them apart away from her chin. She grasped his hand and held it delicately between her bare palms.

“Do you trust me?” She inquired.

Takumi ducked away from his sister’s curious gaze and coughed into his palm. His image flickered and disappeared for a second before reforming. Why did she have to go and ask that of all things?

He gazed upwards at the sky, the darkened clouds that always tainted Nohr kept him from searching for the sun. He thought back to finding Kamui by the lake when he first awakened back in the world. It has only been a month since she laid waste to his body and Hoshido. But in all that time of being around her, his hatred for his older sister had unnoticeably faded.

She kept his negative emotions from consuming him, she listened to him when he admitted his faults, and she wasn’t afraid to hold him when he needed it. Hell, she even gave him her physical form freely now that they shared that ability. Could he really say that he didn’t trust her?

“I guess I am starting to,” He admitted finally.

He glanced back at Kamui when he didn’t hear her response.

The dragon princess was fingering her dragon stone that she always wore. Her expression was neutral, but he could already tell by the shadows in her eyes that she was feeling downtrodden.

“Well, it’s a start,” Kamui said softly.

“You can’t expect me to suddenly forget everything you did.” Takumi tried to reason. Oddly enough, he couldn’t stand seeing his sister saddened. And this time it wasn’t her influencing his spirit to think that.

What on earth happened to make him so open with Kamui?

“No, it’s not that.” Kamui shook her head, her winter white locks fluttering behind her as she tucked an errant strand away.

“Then what is it?” Takumi tried to ignore the bubble of relief forming in his gut.

“Aren’t you scared you might never be able to forgive me?”

Takumi’s skin went pale as if such a thing was possible for a ghost. He turned his torso around fully and stared at his sister with an inquiring gaze. He folded his arms firmly across his chest and lifted his chin. What was with her worries all of a sudden? Didn’t she say she trusted him? If she did then she should have known that even as someone as bristly as him still had the human capacity to forgive someone.

A little voice in his head whispered mockingly in his ear about how maybe he didn’t want to forgive her so he wouldn’t have to leave this world.

“I don’t hate you Kamui. Yes, your actions were stupid. But hasn’t our improving relationship been proof that we can move past this?” He asked gently.

“Yeah. But I can’t forget what I did to Hoshido. No matter how much I want to.” The princess stood before the Dusk Dragon statue, her eyes narrowing with distaste.

“Anakos is still going to try and come after us.” She didn’t flinch as her eyes stared down the statue before her, one of her fists curling around the Yato lying against her hip.

“Do you think the Nohrian King wouldn’t have been so disgusting if this THING wasn’t holding domain over him?” Takumi asked.

“I don’t know. King Garon never let me close enough to get to know him.” Kamui tapped the hilt of her Yato with thoughtful fingers.

“Don’t you mean your Father?” Takumi couldn’t stop the bitterness dripping from his throat, but his draconic sister didn’t seem to react or care enough to scold him.

“He was never my father,” She said calmly.

“I would say that is an insult to our family, but after the way, he treated you I guess your right.” Both dragon princess and ghost archer jumped.

Leo and Elise entered from the under the Dusk Dragon, their hands conjoined and Elise carrying a small basket of flowers.

“How long were you listening?” Kamui asked.

“I heard you and your “companion” here as I was escorting Elise back.” Leo motioned to his baby sister while he ignored Takumi’s annoyed protest.

Elise gathered together a small bushel of daisies and roses; she approached her older sister and smiled widely at the albino woman.

“Here Kamui! These are for you! My nanny grew them!” She smiled.

Kamui gingerly grasped the bouquet and clutched the stems to her chest. The bright colors of the flowers were such a stark contrast to the black roses that naturally grew in the castle gardens. The red flower petals of the roses in her hand matched her eyes, and oddly enough she thought of the blood that ran through her veins.

Elise pulled away from Leo and twirled expertly between him and Kamui. She ignored her older brother’s warning and approached the pouting ghost in the corner. Takumi stared down at her with an irritated stare, more so at Leo’s company rather than hers. The blonde princess didn’t seem to care and offered him a yellow daisy.

“Here you go, Prince Takumi,” She said softly.

“Elise, don’t approach the ghost,” Leo warned.

Elise huffed and pointed her healing staff at her older brother, she stomped her foot and waved it slightly.

“Shush Leo. It’s your fault he’s so irritable.” She chided.

“What?! How is it my fault?” The older prince demanded.

“You were the one who trapped him in his bow!” She said sternly.

Takumi snorted when Leo huffed and defiantly adjusted his collar. Elise lowered her staff and offered the same daisy again. The ghost stared at the youngest Nohrian princess with judgmental eyes, he couldn’t tell if her gentle exterior was genuine or if it was just a front to make him let his guard down.

/ She is the one who helped you get to me. / Kamui’s mind brushed ever so slightly against his.

/ I know. But she’s- / Takumi mentally sighed.

/ A Nohrian? / Kamui asked.

/ Yeah. /

/ So am I. / She reminded him with a gentle mental brush across his scalp.

/ But that’s different, / Takumi tried to protest.

/ You never accepted me as a Hoshidan Takumi. You’ve started accepting who I am now, and I am a Nohrian. / Kamui carefully spoke even her mental voice breaking as she put a hand to her mouth and choked back a sob.

Leo glanced at his older sister in suspicion, what kind of conversation were those two having? His mage’s mind knew about the possibilities that their connection could bring. But that couldn’t mean that it’s gotten to…no there could be no way that was the case.

He shook his head and braced his hand against his spell book just in case.

/ I can’t accept that. / Takumi shook his head violently. The minor action earning only curious smiles by Elise, but Leo stepped ever so slightly closer to Kamui in response.

/ Takumi I thought you trusted me? / Kamui put a hand to her chest in hurt.

/ I didn’t lie before! I’m starting to! But… / Takumi looked at his older sister imploringly, a slight ache forming in between his brows.

“Prince Takumi are you okay?” Elise tugged at his fur wrap with concern, her rod raised slightly as if to heal his wounds.

“Y-yes I’m fine Nohrian Princess,” He replied.

“My name is Elise,” She huffed.

Takumi rubbed at his forehead with tension forming between his shoulders, he slouched over slightly and tried to keep the ache from growing stronger.

“You can say my name you know. E-li-see.” The young girl prodded his side with her rod.

“Elise,” Takumi grumbled irritably with a hand against his scalp.

“There you go! Now where does it hurt?” The girl circled him slowly, her trained healer’s eyes taking in every part of his flickering form with worry.

“I-it’s just a headache.” He stumbled over his words, the slight throb slowly increasing into a minor pounding.

Kamui’s arms were automatically around his, her energy pouring into his projected form with ease. The warmth tried to embrace him, but the ache in between his brows didn’t cease. Takumi slumped in his sister’s arms and groaned.

“Kamui, get away from him.” Leo raised his palm and charged a stream of magic. The scent of earth and wood combatted against the normally acrid smell of dust.

“Leo, what are you doing?” Kamui grasped her ghostly brother closer to her chest and took a slight step back.

“Don’t you see what’s happening to him? Get away from him,” Leo said calmly, despite his heart thundering in his chest.

Elise was about to wave her staff above her head to cast magic, but Leo used a vine to wrap around her torso and gently propel her away from the wayward pair. The younger princess yelped in surprise as her older brother swung her protectively behind his back. He continued to accrue what magic he could in his palms and let the energy lie flat against his gauntleted hand.

Takumi’s grip on Kamui’s arms tightened, and his groans became just a little bit groggier. The dragon princess tried to force more of her warmth into him, but the usual effect of wellness didn’t seem to come. When she glanced down at their conjoined hands, her dragon stone flared brightly and her ears stiffened.

There was no color of emotion swirling between them.

“Kamui! Stand back!” Leo yelled disarmingly.

A tight vine wrapped around her waist, and before she could cut it away with her Yato she was propelled high into the air and away from Takumi. The air swished around her violently, and her brain rocked against the inside of her cranium. She didn’t hear Leo’s warnings or Elise’s concerned and frenzied questions.

The only sound echoing in her ears was Takumi’s yell.

The delicate roses that she had carried fell to the ground.

Kamui found herself wrapped around one of the extended wings of the Dusk Dragon, its obsidian form looming above her overturned head and leering at her with its empty eyes. She tried to claw her way free in anger, but Leo’s frantic chanting caught her attention first. Her white hair formed a veil against the obsidian, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see her two little brothers standing only 10 feet apart.

Takumi was staring up at her, his arms extended outwards as if to catch her when she fell. His eyes were again bright and wide, and his hair was floating hauntingly behind him. He didn’t seem phased by Leo’s threats or Elise’s angry ranting at her older brother’s carelessness. An involuntary shiver went up the inside of the dragon princess’s thighs. Her throat dried and her skin started to form goose flesh beneath the thin fabric of her tunic.

Takumi’s stare wasn’t one of surprise; it was one of desperation and anger.

“Put her down.” He kept staring up at her, his words directed at Leo.

“No. You need to stay away from her.” The blonde prince rapidly turned the pages of his spellbook, his eyes skimming the complex words and images with deadly accuracy.

“Leo! Stop egging him on!” Elise tried to whack her brother in the head with the staff, but the prince simply grasped her weapon and stopped her annoying prods.

“Stay with me, Elise. He’s unstable.”

The ghost’s image flickered sadly; he flinched and steadied the Fujin Yumi against his left arm. His hair was wavering in an invisible breeze, and for a moment Kamui could feel tears gathering behind her eyes in fear. This was just like when he was possessed.

Images of his purple skin, smoke clinging tightly to his frames like spindly fingers, his gaze boring into hers empty and worn, and the dark Skaadi he wielded pointed at her chest. It was too much for her emotions to handle.

What a pathetic bleeding heart she was.

“You honestly think I’m a threat? Simply for finding comfort in Kamui?”

Takumi’s shadowed eyes glittered with sadness, his tears matching Kamui’s in strength and number. His lips tugged into a frown, and he glared emptily at his Nohrian counterpart.

“I can’t have anything can I. You take and take and take. Even after I have nothing left to lose, you try to take Kamui away from me.”

Takumi pulled back the string of his Fujin Yumi, the delicate feathers of white fluttering around him in a halo as he stared through Leo. A single arrow formed between his bent fingers, it lacked any sort of darkness and merely glimmered with his sorrow.

Inside his aching head, he could hear Kamui cry.

“Give her back," He growled.

Leo summoned his Brynhildr’s various vines and pushed Elise into the corridor beneath the base of the Dusk Dragon. Elise tried to push past him to reach Takumi in hopes of healing him. But the blonde prince pushed her into the darkness and sealed the entrance with a wave of his hands.

“Leo!” Kamui could hear Elise scream from beneath the statue, her words practically drowned out by the thick stone.

The dragon princess twisted her body violently and fought against the vines that Leo generated. She grasped the Yato between her dangling hands and brought it down against her brother’s plants. She slammed the hilt into the vines wrapped around her torso, again and again as she let the sadness and anger drain from her.

It felt amazing to unleash all of that pent-up rage.

“Give her back,” Takumi warned again, he lazily pointed the arrow at Leo’s throat, his sharpened eyes able to pinpoint the exact weak spot that not even the strongest collar could protect.

“Not until you calm down. Your bond is growing too fast,” Leo stated.

“Growing too fast? You are stopping me from passing on by keeping us separated.” Takumi’s face fell back into the unusually placid mask he wore a day before when he argued with Ryoma.

His headache was getting worse, but he held no fear or anxiety over being possessed. Mikoto and Ryoma were protecting him, and by the way that Kamui was struggling to free herself instead of passively lying there he knew he could trust her too.

He held no intention of harming Leo, his fake serenity, and his raised bow was already enough to make the Nohrian prince stumble slightly.

“Don’t you understand that her emotions affect you and yours affect her?”

“Of course I do. It’s because of that reason that I haven’t tried to harm you.”

Both brothers stared each other down as they brandished the respective sacred weapon of their countries. Kamui continued to chop away at the vines and eventually she fell onto the pedestal above them. She crouched slowly to the ground and tightened her hold on the Yato. There would be no violence between them after what Takumi told her about their last fight. She would not fail to protect her younger brothers this time.

This time she would be the voice of reason.

“Let her go. She’s not in any danger.” Takumi kept his bow level while Leo snorted in disbelief.

“Then tell me why are you so desperate to have Kamui near?”

“Because she is my sister, and didn’t YOU see that she’s in pain?” Takumi tilted his head to the side and cast curiosity instead of animosity.

“Of course I know. She’s told me more than even you.” Leo stated.

“You are one of the people who forced her to kill innocent lives.” Takumi combatted.

“Following Father’s orders was Kamui’s choice, by becoming part of our court she had to sully her hands.” Leo’s fingers wavered in their strength, his vines constricting behind him in wariness.

“Did you ever try to oppose your so-called father?” Takumi took a step closer. His bow never left the target of Leo’s vein. The daisy he dropped crunched beneath his boot, and he ignored the rose petals he stepped over.

“If we tried we would have been beaten. If we didn’t follow his orders he would have had us killed.” Leo calmly kept his expression neutral. His strength and resolve were starting to waver, but he would remain steady.

Kamui peeked over the edge of the pedestal she sat upon. It was a 20-foot drop to the ground, and she doubted even her manakete blood could protect her fragile bones from breaking.

“You know I feel sorry for you Nohrian royals. For all of your superior magic and weapon mastery, your own dignity is weak because of one man and his reptile master.” Takumi’s voice was genuinely empathetic, but he saw Leo’s eye twitch briefly from his cutting words.

“You never had to face your father, have you? A King is mightier than all of his kids. Even without his god.” Leo straightened his back and waved his hand to form menacing branches from his vines.

Takumi took another step closer, the growing foliage around him not even deterring him or instilling the fear that his Nohrian counterpart was hoping for.

“I never knew my father as a son should. You want to know why?”

His image disappeared completely from Leo’s view. Takumi rapidly appeared inches from his face, his bow no longer glowing and his feet floating off the ground. The Nohrian prince refused to move he raised his hand to fling his concentrated spell, and the branches he cast aimed for Takumi.

The ghost simply phased through each of the branches and continued to make his way forward.

“Your father took him and my sister away from me,” He whispered. His ghostly amber irises glowing brighter than humanly possible.

Kamui plunged her Yato into the side of the pedestal and transformed her feet into draconic claws. Her talons skidded against the stone as she slowly slid her way down the side of the pedestal. She could smell Leo’s magic in the air, was he casting spells at Takumi?! Were they fighting?!

Leo flicked his wrist to the right to recast his attacking spell, something was seriously wrong with the ghostly archer if THIS is what he was acting like. His false sense of calm was the complete opposite of his previous possession. The lack of toxic mist and glowing eyes should have been a good sign.

But when a ghost and his sister fed off of each other, with the amount of negative emotions brewing between the both of them there was no outlet. Takumi was growing stronger, and it wasn’t because he was finding forgiveness in Kamui.

Kamui’s emotional energy was meant to keep the former prince stable, but instead, it was twisting the disdainful thoughts Leo could see shining in those inhuman eyes. Where there was meant to be positivity and healing, there was sorrow and unfettered anger.

He was feeding off of Kamui’s emotional pain.

“You need to calm down Prince Takumi. Your emotional energy is consuming you.” Leo kept a stiff lip, even if his instincts were screaming at him for survival.

“I am calm.” Takumi grasped Leo’s chin between his fingers, a twisted smirk crawled across his face.

His flesh was cold, his eyes were too bright, and his image was flickering from the natural darkness of Nohr.

For a moment the blonde prince wondered what Takumi would have looked like surrounded by Hoshido’s natural sunshine.

“You are not taking Kamui away from me.” Takumi’s calm façade slowly faded, his teeth glimmered sharply and he pressed his chest into Leo’s armor.

His hand went right for Leo’s throat, and for the entire magical prowess, the blonde prince possessed he wasn’t prepared for the ghost’s strength. His eyes could not move away from those glowing orbs, even as the cold flesh around his throat tightened. Takumi was phasing his hand through the thick layers of armor.

Leo was paralyzed, and he could literally feel his Hoshidan opposite tearing at his inner magical energy. He bit his lip to keep from screaming; it felt as if thousands of cold needles were piercing his skin.

Takumi wasn’t choking him; his hand was just hanging loosely on Leo’s skin.

“You need to stop…this isn’t like you.” Leo tried to scrabble against the suffocating presence pressing against his inner core.

“Oh really? You think you know me?” Takumi cocked his head to the side again, but this time it was deliberately slow and calculated.

“You don’t know anything about me.” The former prince whispered menacingly into Leo’s ear.

The Nohrian prince weakly reached for his spell book, his strength was fading fast and if he couldn’t stop the ghost he would surely die.

Dying at the hands of an undead enemy who wasn’t hurting him physically.

How ironic.

“TAKUMI!” Kamui bounded around the corner, her Yato raised high and her draconic talons scraping against the ground.

She swung down her blade and separated her younger brothers.

Leo fell to the ground and gasped for breath, his vines disappeared and the remaining branches he generated surrounded him protectively.

Takumi stumbled backward, his hand chopping cleanly away from Kamui’s sacred blade, the stump of his wrist wafting off into literally nothing.

There was no blood, only pathetic strings of mist that dangled from where his missing appendage had been.

Takumi’s brightened eyes slowly faded back into their normal pleasant amber. The former prince screamed when he noticed his missing hand and grasped his arm towards his chest.

“Leo! What did he do to you?” Kamui bent over and tended to her blonde sibling.

“He was absorbing…my magical energy...as a mage that is literally part of my soul.” Leo coughed.

“But I don’t see any signs of a battle, hell there are no vines or arrows anywhere!”

“He didn’t need to fight me, he literally reached into my throat and started pulling at my life’s energy.” Leo weakly brought a gauntleted hand up to his mouth and coughed.

When he pulled it back Kamui reeled back in horror.

Bright red droplets decorated the black of his glove, so much like the roses that Elise loved and her own eyes. The same color that ran through her veins and his.

“Kamui...” But the voice behind her reminded her of someone else.

There was no blood in Takumi’s veins. All of his colors were replaced by dull grays and transparency.

“Takumi, what did you do?” She asked.

“I…I don’t know…I just didn’t want him to hurt you,” He stammered.

“This is why I was trying to protect you Kamui. He’s dangerous,” Leo coughed.

“I am not! I was trying to protect her!” Takumi protested.

Leo tried to stand, and Kamui caught him with her arms spread wide. Her eyes were wide and fearful, and when she glanced at the ghostly archer all of his protests died on his tongue.

Just like he had died at her hand, she was once again forcing death upon him.

“Your negativity harms him Kamui. He can’t pass on if you both continue to just hurt each other with your sorrow and pain.” Leo whispered.

“Don’t talk Leo, you need help.” Kamui soothed her little brother and reached for his Brynhildr. She needed Elise’s help and fast.

“I-I didn’t mean for this to happen.” Takumi weakly raised his hand and tried to step closer.

Kamui responded by spreading a pair of steel-gray wings from her back. The same wings she used to shade him were now shading Leo from his view.

“Don’t,” She warned.

“Kamui…” Takumi took another step closer.

“Just stay away Takumi. For both of our sakes,” Kamui whispered.

Takumi stopped in his tracks, his hand mere inches from touching his sister’s arm. That tugging sensation from before that always dwelled in his gut told him to touch her. But maybe that Nohrian prince was right, maybe the only reason he wanted to be near her was because her energy made him feel better.

Deep inside, his imaginary heart hammered for Kamui to comfort him too. Being a ghost was not something he was completely used to, and the strength he had showcased earlier was entirely unknown to him.

He was scared beyond belief, and the one person who readily held him was scared of him.

“I-I’m sorry,” He whispered weakly.

“I know,” Kamui replied softly, her fingers lifted briefly towards the incline of his face before falling back to her side.

“It was my fault, I was trying to warn you…” Leo coughed.

“I know that too. I’ll yell at you later. But right now we need Elise’s help.”

Kamui opened up the passage that Leo had bookmarked before and watched as her brother weakly lifted his hand towards the statue. The hidden door slid open, and the youngest Nohrian princess stumbled out. Her staff was held as if she was about to swing it against the stone like a club.

“Oh, my gosh Leo! What happened?!” She screamed as Kamui helped Leo into the cavern.

“I’ll be alright,” Leo whispered.

Kamui watched her two Nohrian siblings disappear into the shadows. From behind her, she heard a pair of light footsteps treading after her. She couldn’t face her other brother after what happened. Even with their stable relationship, it seemed all she could do was bring Takumi down further and cause her other siblings harm.

She lifted a single hand and signaled Takumi to halt.

“Don’t,” She said while facing away from him.

“Kamui, I didn’t mean to,” He said weakly.

“I know you didn’t. I don’t blame you.”

“Then why are you pushing me away?”

Kamui turned away from him completely, she gripped the edge of the Yato against her hip with her other hand and stared off into the shadows.

“Because all I am doing to you right now is causing you harm. I think we need some time apart.”

“But you can’t do that! What about fighting Azura and stopping Anakos?!”

“We will take care of them eventually but right now you can’t be near me.”

As she took a step into the darkness she could feel Takumi’s hand grab her shoulders and try to tug her back. His cold skin felt refreshing against her hot flesh, but she would not dare let herself delve into such pleasure.

“You promised!” He pleaded.

“I know. But as always I can’t keep that promise can I?”

She pried Takumi’s fingers away from her shoulders and shoved him out into the light. She pushed a lever located on the nearby wall and watched as it quickly climbed.

“No! You can’t! I won’t let you!” Takumi screamed. He tried to force his way through the stone, but the residual magic Leo cast kept him from entering the cavern. It seems even while separated the blonde prince thought of ways to protect his family. And in this case, it was preventing a Hoshidan ghost from chasing after his sister.

Takumi bounced back uselessly against the growing barrier. He tried to force his Fujin Yumi’s arrows through the blockade, but his wind passed through harmlessly. It did nothing to shatter the forming wall between them.

“Kamui! Don’t you dare leave me here!” He yelled angrily.

As the barrier blocked him out, and the entrance to the cavern swung closed Kamui spared him one solitary glance. Her brightened eyes could rival his own, and a regretful smile spread high across her cheeks. She refused to wipe away the tears, unashamed of the embarrassment and uselessness she felt.

“We can’t be together. It's just doing us harm," She said finally.

The shadows swallowed the dragon princess up, and the mighty stone doors snapped shut.

The only person remaining in the once populated courtyard was a solitary ghost whose image flickered uselessly against the drab grays of the castle.

He twisted his Fujin Yumi between his fingers and screamed out in anger at the sky. He stared down at his missing hand, the appendage slowly reformed from the threads connected to his wrist. There was no blood in his veins, and there was no pulse in his chest. He was empty, aching, and alone, the one woman who had granted him any sort of solace left him behind just like everybody else.

“No.” Takumi tugged his sacred weapon onto his back and tightened the ends of his ponytail before readjusting his clothing.

He bent down and collected up the scattered petals that had fallen. The delicate colors of yellow and red were so drastically different from the gray shade of his hands.

“I won’t let you do that Kamui. Not again.” He clenched the petals to his chest and disappeared from the courtyard.

Nobody noticed as he disappeared from the courtyard, leaving behind only a solitary rose petal that had fallen from his hands.

“I won't let you turn your back on me.” Nobody heard those words except for the wayward spirit that spoke them.

She had made him a promise, and he was going to make sure she kept it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry Leo.


	19. Chapter 19: Kamui's New Resolve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope my readers had a good holiday season and Christmas if you celebrate it. This story is about to take a different route than I originally planned but there are some Fates characters that I thought badly needed more screen time. I hope you enjoy the incoming changes. Don’t worry; Kamui and Takumi are still the main characters of this story :)
> 
> MAJOR WARNING FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T PLAYED REVELATIONS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

“Kamui you can’t ignore me.” Through the scrying pool, the former queen of Hoshido watched on in silence.

Inside the pure liquid, Mikoto could see her daughter Kamui walking sullenly around the Castle Krakenburg’s dim halls. The dragon princess was grasping tightly at the stones as she practically limped back towards her room. Her pale skin was almost as gray as Takumi’s and her hair lay haphazardly against her back. There were dark rings under her eyes, and her ears twitched uselessly every time Takumi spoke to her.

“Stop ignoring me.” Speaking of Takumi, the spirit of Mikoto’s youngest son floated after his sister with irritation.

His image flickered in erratic intervals, and when his spirit disappeared from sight he would reappear two seconds later clinging to his beloved divine weapon. Kamui would stumble whenever Takumi vanished, and she would be left breathless and worse for wear than before. Takumi’s image would come back even more haggard, but he still grasped at whatever dignity he had left to continuously demand Kamui to even look at him.

Mikoto chewed upon the nail of her index finger, her other hand lightly swirled circles around both of her children’s faces. The water responded by wrapping around her fingers, the liquid lifting slowly out of the bowl without her command.

“Kamui!” Takumi’s reflection yelled when his sister shut the door in his face.

The water collapsed back into the bowl of the pool, Mikoto’s hands tightened around the edge. The Takumi in the water stared helplessly at the door of his sister’s room, after a brief moment the ghost’s shoulders slackened and he disappeared completely from the hall.

Mikoto moved her fingers across the water, and in an instant, she could peer into Kamui’s room. The dragon princess was kneeling by her bedroom door with her back planted firmly against the wood. She wasn’t crying, but instead she stared emptily at the frayed carpet beneath her feet.

“She’s scared of Takumi…” Mikoto pressed two fingers into the water above Kamui’s reflected cheek.

The water swirled across Mikoto’s wrist before one of her tears fell into the pool, Kamui’s image distorted and her next view was of a green ninja and a gray-haired butler standing on the other side of her daughter’s door.

“Jakob, Lady Kamui doesn’t want to be bothered.” Kaze firmly placed his hand on the knob and kept the butler from opening it.

“How dare you Kaze. Milady really needs to settle down and have some tea.”

“Tea isn’t going to be helpful in her case.”

Mikoto watched as the man named Jakob balked in offense, he lifted his nose and shoved Kaze’s hand off of the door. When he tried to open it a massive dragon claw shoved its way between the crack.

“Oh my.” Jakob took a step back, but he didn’t seem too impressed with the claw.

Mikoto’s hands fumbled against the edges of the stone pool, her face almost plummeted into the water at the sight of the reptilian appendage. In the reflection, Jakob stood impassively as Kaze initiated his instinctive battle stance. Two seconds later the dragon claw slammed against the stone wall, and Mikoto’s daughter stumbled out into the foyer. Jakob lunged for his lady and managed to keep her from collapsing against the cold floors.

“No. Kamui’s transformation is destabilizing.” Mikoto gasped; if her strength was abnormal she would have broken the pool in half.

Jakob worriedly checked over his mistress’s body, his hands expertly sweeping over her nightgown covered body without disturbing her privacy. Kamui’s arms were transformed from the elbows and downwards, and she had massive horns peeking out of her forehead. When she stared up at her retainers, they could see that her pupils were complete slits like those of a snake. She didn’t say anything, but her breath was haggard and she was trying to hold her arms back from attacking Jakob.

“Milady! What happened?” Jakob was on the verge of panicking, even if his face didn’t betray any negativity.

“Dragon…powers…too…strong,” Kamui said lightly between breaths.

“Lady Kamui, where is your dragon stone?” Kaze bent over on one knee.

The dragon princess merely raised a tiny stone between two of her elongated talons. The stone wasn’t damaged; it was simply glowing dimly in the firelight produced by the overhead scones. Kamui bellowed out a small whine and grasped her dragon stone tightly to her chest. But the draconic features didn’t disappear; the bubbles they produced from her movements clung to her skin.

“How is this possible? Are you in control?” Kaze implored as he lightly pried Kamui’s arms away from her torso.

Kamui nodded slightly, but her talons dug deeper into her palms making her wince in pain.

“Milady, please stop lying. It is highly beneath you.” Jakob chided.

“You choose now to deride her?” Kaze deadpanned.

Mikoto’s ebony locks fell into the water, the ripples distorted the image and left the three figures as a temporary blob of color. The liquid slowly climbed her locks, twirling together in thin chains of droplets. The former queen was too focused on the reflection of her daughter to care. Kamui’s dragon blood was powerful, there was no mistake on that, but why were her powers destabilizing so fast? She was half human, there was no way she could be going feral.

Mikoto and her former lover had known they would spawn a dragon hybrid that is why they agreed to have a child. Kamui’s humanity was supposed to keep her powers in line and keep her from going mad.

Was it just another lie that man had told her?

“Both of you need to stop,” Kamui growled from the pool.

“Milady, when we need to find your siblings.” Jakob tried to lift her body, but Kamui’s warped toenails jammed into the floor.

“No.” She slinked out of Jakob’s grip and curled up against the wall.

The dragon princess’s breath slithered out between her clenched teeth, the bubbles collecting on her arms glittered and her reptilian eyes darted between the two men. Her transformation didn’t progress any further, the water pooling at her feet clung lovingly to her form.

On the other side her mother could only watch on in sadness, the water twisting through her wet locks responding similarly to her presence. The vital liquid that all life needed to survive, the calming substance that flowed through the mountains and collected near the sandy shores. A physical signature of Mikoto’s blood, the same blood that lovingly embraced her daughter.

Kamui was the only child that she could clearly and truthfully claim as her own.

“Lady Kamui, surely one of your siblings can help?” Kaze asked gently.

“Elise can’t heal this. Leo would do more harm than good. And how do you expect Camilla or Xander to react? Camilla would have a heart attack, and Xander would probably defend his siblings over helping me.” Kamui’s voice was distorted but calm. A high contrast to her raging emotions that generated more bubbles.

“Milady, I have been patient for the last month over your inability to move on. But you are clearly in need of help, and I will not stand idle.” Jakob adamantly stepped closer towards his mistress; he bent carefully down towards her level and offered her his hand.

“Despite his words Jakob is right, you’ve been getting worse especially in the last week alone.” Kaze’s brow furrowed and he knelt respectfully to the floor, the flower that Kamui had given him still sat situated in his hair.

“This isn’t something you can help with...”

“What about Felicia and Flora? Surely their ice magic can keep the water from overtaking you.” Kaze implored.

“Flora is training to inherit the Ice Tribe throne, and Felicia went back home the day after my family picnic,” Kamui growled.

“Surely King Xander can help.” Jakob stood up, his eyes narrowing with the intent to summon the Nohrian King.

“No, if Xander finds out-”

“Find out what Little Princess?”

Kamui scrambled onto her taloned feet and skittered back into her room, the heavy wooden door slamming shut with enormous force. Kaze disappeared from sight, leaving only Jakob still kneeling on the floor when the Nohrian King and his blonde companion rounded the corner.

The Nohrian King was out of his usual armor, and except for the crown lying upon his brow, his casual wear gave no indication of his status. Beside him Charlotte was dressed conservatively for once instead of prancing about in that underwear she called her uniform. The blonde took one look at Jakob and glanced at the doors that Kamui had escaped through.

“What did you do now to make Lady Kamui so mad?” She asked.

With a solitary huff, the butler stood from his kneeling position and flipped up the sides of his collar.

“I did nothing to make milady mad.” He said testily.

For all of the wisdom and compassion she possessed, Mikoto could not help but turn her eyes skyward. For someone who was indefinably loyal to her only true daughter, Jakob was very pushy and arrogant. The former queen flicked the water collecting around her hands away impatiently and stared deeper into the stone pool.

There wasn’t much she could do for her daughter or her adoptive son. If she left the safety of the afterlife the dragon god would come after her. Separated from her children by a protective curtain, despite the abilities that she possessed, the former queen could only watch on forlornly as the gray-haired butler argued with the blonde fighter. She would have changed the view of the scrying pool onto one of her children, but the expression on the Nohrian King’s face was intriguing.

“Then why did Lady Kamui shut you out?” Charlotte inquired with a knowing smirk.

“Milady is not feeling well.” Jakob huffed.

“Are you implying that my sister is sick?” Xander furrowed his brow, the concern he tried to show only made him appear more serious.

“In a manner of speaking milord.” The ever-faithful butler spoke in a much politer tone.

“Why was I not informed?” Xander stood taller and fought against the impulse to fold his arms as he was so inclined to do.

Mikoto took in a breath and slightly changed the view of the water; it divided in half and kept a view on the three standing outside. She peered to the left and saw Kamui sitting against the door, her clawed hands holding onto her arms and her alabaster hair hiding her eyes. Water was collecting again beneath her feet, but there was no further progress with her transformation into a feral dragon.

On the right side of the reflection, Xander approached the door and knocked upon it. The girl named Charlotte folded her hands against her chest and stayed to the side, while Jakob remained behind with an impassive stare. When Kamui didn’t answer the Nohrian King placed his palm gingerly against the wood and cleared his throat.

“Little Princess, are you well?” He asked.

“Xander? Don’t come in.” Kamui growled out. On the left of Mikoto’s view, she saw her daughter gasp and force a draconic claw over her mouth.

“What in the world? Kamui are you in pain?” Xander’s voice rang with urgency.

“I’m fine!” Kamui insisted.

Water started to pool out from underneath the door, and when Xander put his ear to the frame all he heard was Kamui’s wheezing. He started to try and shove the door open, but Kamui dug her taloned feet into the ground and kept steady against her Nohrian brother’s might.

Charlotte put a hand on Xander’s shoulder.

“Step back milord, I’ll take care of it.”

She stepped up closer to the door and gave it a quick glance over. Her placid expression folded back into a furious grin and she cracked her knuckles before winding up a punch. A resounding CRACK echoed through the otherwise empty corridor, splinters of wood showered upon the Nohrian King and butler. Sitting in the room was a half transformed Kamui who stared up at the trio with surprise. Charlotte folded her fists together and stretched before dusting off her skirt.

“Whew, it’s been a while since I had a good punch.” She sighed.

“Kamui!” Xander’s voice did not raise, but its instability betrayed his terror at seeing his younger adoptive sister.

“I said I was fine!” Kamui barked.

“How long has this been going on Jakob?” Xander turned towards the butler.

“Just recently my king.” Jakob’s tone was polite but unkind; he did not feel right taking orders from someone other than his lady.

“Kamui, why didn’t you come to me when you were in pain?” Xander stepped into the room and approached his younger sibling cautiously. Kamui did not threaten or growl, she shivered in place as more water collected beneath her heels.

“Since when have you had time to worry about your siblings?” She asked.

Xander froze in his approach, his grim frown deepened and he stared Kamui down with a stern glare.

“None of you have approached me since our last family outing. Which was when, days ago?” He said calmly.

“Maybe because we don’t want to get in your way? You are the King now.”

“Never mind that now, you are not turning feral are you?”

“Does it look like I am Brother? It’s stopped.”

Behind the curtain of the afterlife, the former queen of Hoshido had her hands plunged deep into the scrying pool. Water twisted across her wet sleeves, and she was chanting beneath her breath as she continued to watch the conversation unfolding. She was able to keep Kamui from transforming any further, even if she couldn’t sing as well as her missing older sister.

“Arete, give me strength to help my daughter.” She begged quietly.

Nobody was going to hear her when she was the only one in this illusion of Hoshido’s plaza.

“We need to get Elise.” Xander was about to turn away but Kamui shook her head in shame.

“You can’t heal this. It has to disappear on its own.”

“But Lady Kamui, don’t you think it would be VERY bad for your image to parade around the castle like THAT?” Charlotte peeked her head into the room and jabbed a finger at Kamui’s body.

“I am aware of that Charlotte.” Kamui quipped.

“My word Lady Kamui, when did you become so pleasantly sarcastic?” Jakob asked.

Kamui was about to retort but she doubled over in pain as a pair of gigantic dragon wings sprouted from her back. Her horns disappeared and her taloned feet began to shrink, but in their place scales started to armor her cheeks and her lower legs. Water turned into bubbles that floated around her, and all Xander could do was flinch back in surprise.

“I thought you said it wouldn’t continue!” He scolded.

“It’s not progressing, my human body is just shifting what’s already there,” Kamui growled out.

Mikoto desperately chanted as she kept her hands in the cold water, her daughter’s dragon blood was being strengthened by an outside source. Like hell, she was going to lose her last blood relative after all the other senseless deaths. That same misshapen dragon that called himself a god had killed her mother, father, Arete, Sumeragi, and even her oldest lover.

“You are not taking my daughter away Anakos!” Mikoto screamed as she chanted louder.

Kamui could faintly hear a woman chanting in her ears, she could also hear a low threatening growl that did not sound like her own feral dragon. The same roar that she heard before when Takumi had almost succumbed to his possession. The suffocating evil that surrounded her felt the same as well, not only the same heaviness that surrounded Takumi but now Azura as well.

Anakos was trying to take over! How was that even possible?!

/ Kamui can you hear me?!/ A woman’s voice pushed back against the draconic roar, it was panicked but it was a voice Kamui had been yearning to hear from again.

/ Mother?! / Kamui replied with a scream.

/ My daughter! I’m so glad to hear your voice! / Mikoto practically sang with immense relief. Her current mood was so different from the regal but sad woman that Kamui met in Hoshido over 6 months ago before the war even started.

/ Mother how are you talking to me? / Kamui asked. The other three occupants in the room and hall were none the wiser to the conversation going on inside her head. She maintained eye contact with Xander so he wouldn’t question her about staring off into space.

/ Kamui, listen to me you need to get back to Takumi. / Mikoto spoke.

/ What, why? Anakos is after me. I should stay AWAY from my brother. /

/ Please Kamui! You are hurting yourself and your brother by staying away from him! /

/ I think my main concern right now is trying to keep a dragon god from possessing me! /

/ He will not get you. /

A calming wave of energy washed over Kamui, her dragon wings disappeared and her scales dissolved into soft skin. The bubbles popped soundlessly, and in her head, she could hear her mother’s soft chanting. The dragon roared loudly enough to almost split apart her skull, but Mikoto fought back by chanting louder and cursing at the dragon. Anakos had failed once again to possess one of her children, but for how long would that reassurance last?

“Little Princess. Are you alright?” Xander stepped closer and put his hands on her shoulders.

“ I-I’m fine,” Kamui responded faintly, her mother’s chanting still taking up most of her attention.

“You can’t scare me like that.” Xander breathed a quiet sigh and rubbed his sister’s shoulders.

“Milady. Please rest in your bed while I prepare some tea.” Jakob automatically strode towards his mistress and king. He circled around his lady in a quick fashion, his eyes darting over her nightgown-clad body.

“Oh, gods Jakob. Can’t you go one day without acting like a mother hen?” Charlotte leaned on the door and glared after the bothersome butler.

/ Kamui, please you need to find your brother. /

/ Mother, all I’ve done is bring him pain. Did you not SEE what happened a week ago in the courtyard? /

/ I did but there is something- /

“How dare you say that you uppity brat.” Jakob sniffed.

Charlotte’s placid smile gave way to an angry snarl, her fists clenched together and she slammed one into the wall. The stone shattered with ease and dusted the already dirty floor. She took one step towards the gray-haired butler with her sleeve rolled up. Xander had to come between the two to keep Charlotte from challenging Jakob to a life or death duel.

“Charlotte I can’t have you trashing my staff.” He commanded.

The blonde fighter relented and gently pulled herself away from her king.

“Very well milord. I’ll stop because this is YOUR castle. But if I meet that butler in a dark corridor without you around I can’t guarantee he will live.”

She waved idly at her king and saluted to Kamui. Before completely disappearing around the corner the blonde glared at Jakob and left with a single middle finger raised slightly between her knuckles. Jakob stuttered in offense and straightened with a flip of his collar.

“You have a weird taste in women.” Kamui looked at her older brother.

“She is strong and dependent. I do not judge based on gender.” Xander scolded her.

“With a temper to boot,” Jakob noted as he tended to the dead fire.

“Who I choose to spend my time with is none of your business.” The Nohrian King stared down at both dragon princess and butler.

/ Kamui, please pay attention. Your brother needs you. /

Kamui turned her head towards the darkened window. She could see the small sliver of the moon peaking through the darkened clouds. Xander took notice of her immediate change but he did not comment. He simply watched his sister in suspicion; something about her behavior and recent personality change didn’t sit well with him. She wasn’t the optimistic and naïve princess he remembered. When had she changed so drastically?

/ Mother, I can’t be near Takumi. My emotional pain is just making his worse. /

/ You can’t be away from him. Did you not see his spirit flickering? /

/ Yes. But if I go around him right now it will just hurt him… /

/ Sweetheart…he’s fading away. /

Kamui’s heart stopped for a single second, her knees went weak and she stumbled forward. Xander reacted immediately by spreading his arms across her torso and pulling her to his chest. Kamui’s eyes were impossibly large, and she wasn’t staring at anything in particular. The petrified princess did not respond to Xander’s questions or his concern, all she could focus on was that one sentence her mother said. 

Takumi was fading away? His soul was supposed to be linked to the world of the living. He wasn’t able to pass on to the afterlife because he was trapped here. How could he be fading away if he was already dead and unable to cross over? After a moment of shock, the dragon princess suddenly had a spark of clarity. She was the reason why he was trapped here.

Her hands sullying his corpse and releasing his spirit left him dangling by her fingers. He had told her that his inability to forgive her fully left him guilty and restless. Their emotions and energy played off of each other, he was able to borrow her physical form with ease. She could sense his thoughts and inner turmoil, and he could do the same. Hell, Kamui was the very first person and so far the only person who could see Takumi’s spirit naturally. Leo, Camilla, and Elise were only able to see him because of a spell Leo cast!

/ Mother, what would happen to him if he faded completely? /

/ His soul would cease to exist. / Mikoto responded.

/ Even when I’m away from him all I do is bring him pain. / Kamui hung her head and wrenched away from Xander.

Kamui stumbled out into the nighttime air and slammed her balcony shut. When Xander and Jakob approached she jammed a metal rod into the knob and turned her back to her anxious brother and irritated butler. She glanced back at the moon and collapsed into a heap on the stone edge. She pulled her knees to her chest and cried, the tears gathered around the fabric of her dress. But they did not slither down her skin like they used to, instead they bubbled together and lifted upwards into the air.

/ Kamui… / Mikoto called.

“I’m sorry Mother. I’m a failure of a daughter.” She sobbed.

This was almost like the first time she met Takumi’s ghost just short of a month ago. She had been crying exactly like this, and her brother’s restless spirit had been hopeful when he noticed she could see him. She could recall the bitter wails she produced, and the rapid succession of apologies that did nothing to repair the damage.

Takumi’s hand going through her body still left a small shard of ice jammed in her heart.

“I tried to smile. I tried to move on. But what I did to Hoshido...” She cried into her pale hands.

A delicate hand wrapped around Kamui’s shoulders, unlike Xander’s strong grip this one was much softer. She felt her body being pulled into a warm chest, and the arms pulled her closer still. A sweet fragrance filled her nostrils; it smelled of vanilla and jasmine. When she peeked an eye open, she could see a lock of wet ebony hair dangling in front of her pupil.

“In order for Takumi and the others to forgive you. You need to forgive yourself.”

Mikoto’s fingers guided her daughter’s face towards her own, even with their years apart the mother acted upon the first thing that came to mind. Her daughter was only 20 years old; still a child in many respects but forced to mature in order to avoid being killed by the previous king of Nohr. The grief and anger plaguing her daughter’s eyes should not have been there, maybe if she hadn’t been so much of a coward she could have saved Kamui on her own.

Maybe then, Kamui could have been with her mother and adoptive family in Hoshido instead of living in a prison in Nohr.

Thankfully the siblings she found in Nohr did their best to care for her. They proved in the end that they wouldn’t hurt her like Garon did, even if their constant coddling was a mild irritation on its own.

“Mother…” Kamui instinctively buried her face into her mother’s shoulder. Even without her entire memory, she couldn’t stop herself from seeking comfort.

Gods how selfish she was to call this queen her mother.

“You can’t keep hating yourself like this Sweetheart.” Mikoto soothed.

“I can’t do it anymore. Takumi is dead, Ryoma is dead, and you are dead all because of me.” She sobbed.

Mikoto’s hands tightened and she lightly pushed Kamui away from her. In her mother’s chocolate eyes, Kamui could see a fire that burned brightly. Somehow it was oddly familiar.

If she had been calm, she would have noticed that she shared that same fire.

“You did not kill me,” Mikoto said calmly.

“If I hadn’t come to Hoshido, that man wouldn’t have gotten my sword!”

“Kamui, I knew I was going to die. You were a pawn, you had no actual part in my death.” Mikoto admitted.

Kamui’s red eyes wavered and more tears pooled beneath her lashes. The former queen of Hoshido sighed quietly and wiped a single finger across her daughter’s lower lid. The tears collected on the tip of her finger and bubbled into the air. It was a sign; Kamui’s powers were getting stronger. If she didn’t learn to forgive herself soon, then not even Mikoto would be able to stop her feral dragon transformation.

And Kamui’s father would certainly enjoy having a dragon in his army of corpses.

“I have the power to see into the future Kamui. The visions are random at best, but when they happen they always come true. I can never tell when they will happen, but they always will.” Mikoto pets the back of her daughter’s hair, silently wishing that the white locks could have been ebony instead of colorless.

“I saw myself collapsing in your arms, I saw the man who attacked me. I knew that I was going to die when you returned to me. But I couldn’t stop myself from waiting for your arrival.” She continued as Kamui silently curled back into her mother’s side.

“I still ravaged Hoshido to its knees,” Kamui whispered.

“That is true. And you cannot be forgiven so easily for that.”

Mikoto twisted a solitary lock of her daughter’s hair between her fingers.

“But that doesn’t mean that I don’t love you.” She soothed.

Kamui’s sobs devolved into wracking screams; she threw her arms around her mother’s shoulders and buried her burning cheeks into Mikoto’s chest. There was no breath in her mother’s body and no heartbeat, but where she was so used to Takumi’s soothing cold she found warmth in Mikoto’s embrace. She could barely recall her mother’s smile as a child, or the times they spent together with her Hoshidan siblings. Garon had stolen everything from her, her home, her family, and her mother’s everlasting smile.

But where she had lost her life in Hoshido, she had gained in the loving bonds she shared with her Nohrian siblings. Kamui noted she could never truly hate Xander or Camilla for hiding the truth from her. In their own way, they were trying to give her the life they could in what limited freedom she had.

“Please Kamui, no more hating yourself. You need to accept what you did.” Mikoto implored.

“But I already do. I was the cause for Ryoma’s suicide, and I was the one who had to put Takumi down.” Kamui sniffled.

“Taking responsibility is only the first step. If you want forgiveness, you need to stop hating yourself.” Mikoto waved away the bubbles that continued to lift away from her daughter’s cheeks.

“But-” Kamui’s rebuttal was stopped by a slim finger and her mother’s stern frown.

“Anakos took advantage of your sorrow. Just as he did with Takumi and Azura.”

Kamui’s eyes narrowed, she bit her lip and jammed a fist into her thigh at the mention of the dragon god. He had twisted so many lives and he was still hell bent on claiming every causality he could. But out of all the questions that sat upon her tongue, the one that burnt the most was why. Why was she the one at the center of it all? Why was she the one that Garon kidnapped? Why was she the one sent to start the waves of her mother’s death? Why was Takumi’s corpse used to kill her of all people? Why was Azura taken from her so early? And why was she the one who could wield the legendary Yato?

For that matter, out of all her siblings why was she the one who could transform into a dragon?

“Mother.” Kamui peeled her mother’s fingers away from her lips.

“Hm?” Mikoto idly moved a string of hair from her daughter’s brow.

“Why is Anakos so focused on killing me?” Kamui asked.

Mikoto leaned back on her hands and Kamui pulled away from her mother’s chest. She glanced around and saw that they were sitting on a bench situated in Hoshido’s square. The area was empty except for the two women, market stalls were full to the brim with supplies and food stalls sat empty with freshly baked goods on the counters. The sweet smelling air reminded her of the cherry blossoms that bloomed in Hoshido, but there was no wind to stir the pink trees.

“Anakos does not like pawns that outlive their purpose,” Mikoto said lightly.

The former queen stared outwards into the empty plaza, her chocolate brown eyes not focusing on anything particular as her thoughts raced. Kamui was starting to get suspicious of her heritage if she ever learned the truth about her parentage the dragon princess would be even more emotional than she was now. It shouldn’t come as a surprise; during the entirety of the war, Mikoto had watched her daughter from the afterlife.

What started out as a naïve princess with a simplistic look on life, was now a young woman who constantly questioned others and cried at the drop of a hat.

Maybe Mikoto shouldn’t have been so focused on convincing Kamui that she was related to her Hoshidan siblings by blood. That might have eased the eventual blow that would fall upon her only living blood tied relative.

“You were meant to die in the attack that killed me.” Mikoto glanced at her daughter.

“It was supposed to take both of us out. But you jumped in front of me and took the entire brunt force.” Kamui bowed her head and stared at her hands.

“I couldn’t let you die, Sweetheart. You mean too much to me.”

“Even after when I admitted I didn’t remember you?”

“Of course. You are my child after all.”

Something was off; her mother was obviously hiding something from her. It was the same way that Ryoma had insisted that she was truly his sister. Both of them were not hesitating but rather they were acting softer and gentler than usual. It was if Mikoto was trying to soften whatever blow was going to come next.

It didn’t matter in the end; every blow upon Kamui’s ego was going to leave a bruise.

“Mother, why am I the only one who can turn into a dragon?” She asked.

Her dragon stone sitting against her breast glimmered in the still sunlight.

“It’s because your dragon blood is stronger than your siblings.”

“That can’t be the only reason.”

Mikoto’s smile froze; she turned to face her daughter fully and noticed the conviction brewing in Kamui’s red irises. The color was off; it was never meant to be so bright. Just like her hair, for a moment Mikoto wished that Kamui’s eyes could have been brown or even gold in color. Hell, if she had been blessed with Arete’s blue hair, she could have told Kamui sooner about their relation to Azura. Maybe having that familial connection could have saved Azura from her loneliness.

On the other side of that argument, in a way, Kamui’s white hair and red eyes kept her as far as she could get from her true father. A gentleman with all of the power in the world lost to the madness that plagued his kind.

Perhaps Kamui being born without blue hair like her mother was a blessing in disguise.

“You get your abilities from me Kamui.” She relented finally.

In a way she did give Kamui her water based abilities, she was able to influence the water just as Azura and Kamui can. And if Kamui ever did try to pick up a festal, she would more than likely have her mother’s healing ability.

To prove her point, the former queen swiped one finger across Kamui’s pallid cheek and flicked away the tears that ran. The tears curved around her finger and formed into a single bubble when she lifted the tip. Kamui’s eyes widened as her mother brought her tear turned bubble closer to her nose, the bubble popped when Mikoto pricked her finger. The tiny droplets landed on her daughter’s nose and the dragon princess sputtered in indignation at the cold liquid.

“You do realize that you are my only blood-related child correct?” She asked.

“It makes sense, I’m the only one who looks even close to resembling you,” Kamui confirmed.

“That’s correct, all 4 of your Hoshidan siblings are from a different mother.”

“How is that possible? If we have the same father, then why are Takumi and Sakura younger?”

“Ikona, your father’s first wife was a sickly woman. She didn’t have the strength to perform her duties as Queen Consort.” Mikoto leaned back on her hands and allowed her legs to cross primly beneath her long robe.

“Was Father even allowed to have two wives?”

“At the time I wasn’t his wife, I was just his secondary lover. The Hoshidan court only recognized Ikona as Consort.” Mikoto watched her daughter stand up from her seat.

“So I’m not actual royalty?” Kamui started to pace, her mother continued to hide something from her grasp but all the information she was giving was massive.

“You are an officially recognized Princess of Hoshido, or you were before Hinoka banished you.” Mikoto frowned when she saw Kamui freeze.

“I didn’t need to be reminded of that.” She said slowly.

“I’m sorry Kamui. But yes, you were recognized as the child of King Sumeragi even when I wasn’t Queen Consort or Queen Regent.”

“Then why did Father have 4 kids with Ikona?”

“It may seem off to you, but in Hoshido it is a tradition for the Kings or Queens that rule that they provide many heirs for the throne. As Consort, Ikona was bound by duty to give her husband as many heirs as she could.”

“That does sound off.” Kamui moved towards one of the food stalls and picked up a warm mochi plate. It was pink, just like Sakura’s hair.

“Did King Garon not have multiple children with different women?”

“Yes, but almost all of them ended up killing each other to earn the title of Queen Consort,” Kamui spoke through a mouthful of mochi, gods was she hungry even if she was currently hallucinating.

“Ah yes, the Concubine Wars.”

“I only know what Xander and Camilla told me. I was never part of it.”

She sat back down next to her mother and offered some mochi, Mikoto merely smiled and shook her head in disagreement.

“I know Father wasn’t the source of my dragon powers. But you are?”

“In a way.” Mikoto hummed.

“You are hiding something from me.”

Mikoto sighed and got down on her knees before her daughter, she grasped Kamui’s hands and kept her from eating any more mochi. Her expression was open and honest, but the sadness clouding her eyes tugged at Kamui’s heart strings.

“Kamui, please understand that I can’t tell more than that.”

“Oh come on not you too!” Kamui shot up from her seat in anger.

The mochi she had collected fell to the ground, the pink dumplings scattered beneath her feet like the cherry blossom petals in Hoshido’s springtime.

“You sound like Azura when you do that! You are hiding something from me just like she did!” Kamui exclaimed.

“Kamui please…” Mikoto quickly clambered to her feet.

“Does this have anything to do with the Bottomless Canyon?”

Mikoto’s expression froze, her brows furrowed together and she bit her lip like Kamui was inclined to do. She turned away from her daughter and allowed her ebony locks to hide her face.

“I’m right then,” Kamui concluded.

“Kamui I can’t say anymore.” Mikoto quickly grabbed her daughter’s hands.

“It’s because I’ll die if I talk about ‘It’,” Kamui remembered the curse that Azura had mentioned. When they found Gunter in that mysterious land beyond the lake, he had mentioned that he had ended up there by falling into the Bottomless Canyon. Azura had warned her not to speak about that land, or about the curse that would kill her if she even tried to.

“Yes.” Mikoto nodded solemnly, she was already dead so the curse no longer affected her. But she would not allow herself to rest if Kamui were to meet the same fate.

“Then I’ll just have to get the answers from Anakos then.”

“What? Kamui, Anakos is beyond your reach!”

“He’ll come to me. He won’t let Azura rest until he gets me.”

Kamui picked up the pieces of the mochi she had dropped and lightly handed the box to her mother. She smiled in resolution and lightly wrapped around her mother’s warm form. Even if it was an illusion, having Mikoto in her arms once more was too much.

“Kamui, please. You’ll die if you let him get you!” Mikoto pleaded.

“I’m not going to let him get me.” Kamui’s smile grew bigger.

Unconsciously her hand twitched and in her palm the Grim Yato formed. The sword burned pleasantly against her hand, the pain that it caused her before was dim if not nearly gone. It was if her sword was happily answering to its master’s request.

“Like you said, Azura isn’t allowed to rest right?”

She brought the sword to the base of her neck and grabbed hold of her messy locks.

With a single swipe, Kamui cut through her long hair and let the strands fall to the ground. Unlike the cherry blossom petals, her colorless hair fell like snow as it littered the ground in heaps.

“I want answers. You can’t give me answers. But I bet he can.”

“Kamui…” Mikoto could only watch in shock as her daughter’s locks were reduced to a messy bob.

“If I want to get stronger I need to learn to forgive myself.” Kamui lifted her Grim Yato towards the sun and let the ember light reflect from the blade.

“I can’t cry anymore. That dragon god has taken too much already. If it means getting the answers I seek I’ll gladly take up my sword again.”

Kamui kneeled before her mother with her head bowed and her Grim Yato crossed across her heart.

“Queen Mikoto of Hoshido. I may no longer be a princess, but if you will allow me I will protect Hoshido and Nohr with what strength I have left. I will seek the answers I need, I’ll keep Ryoma’s back, and I’ll protect Takumi.” She swore.

Mikoto felt the tears springing underneath her thick lashes, and as her daughter before they simply bubbled into the air.

“If you give me this permission my queen, I will redeem myself and I will gladly call myself your daughter once more.” Kamui implored.

“Kamui…I gladly accept your request.” Mikoto could only extend her hand before her daughter’s bowed head.

Kamui smiled up at her mother and grasped her mother’s fingers between her palms; her lips met the delicate digits for just the briefest of moments. She then bowed her head once more and brought her other hand to slam against the right side of her breast.

“I will fight in your name, and in the name of my brothers and Azura’s.” She stood tall, a tired but determined smile bringing more tears to Mikoto’s eyes.

Mikoto smiled and gently grasped Kamui’s chin between two of her fingers.

“I hope you find what you seek.” She said calmly.

Hoshido’s plaza disappeared, the dark night sky of Nohr returned and Kamui’s bare feet met the cold grasp of the stone balcony. The dragon princess blinked, her mind interpreting what happened as an illusion. But when she brought one hand up to her head, she felt the short bob she had cut her hair into and the other still held on to the Grim Yato.

Mikoto had been real, and her promise to her mother had been real.

“I’ll succeed this time Mother.” She stared at the stars and met the small moon with a weary grin.

Xander managed to jam his Siegfried into the rod that Kamui had forced into the door. The Nohrian King kicked the doors open and raced out onto the balcony, Jakob was literally on his heels. Both men were stunned to see Kamui standing on the railing of the balcony, her Grim Yato held slightly behind her back. She wasn’t looking at them, but the smile on her face was a drastic change to her earlier mood.

Just what in the world had happened?

“Little Princess! Please get down from there!” Xander yelled, his strong arms immediately surrounding Kamui and shielding her as he brought her to his chest.

“Big Brother.” Kamui breathed lightly into his collar.

“Dear gods Kamui! Were you planning on jumping?!” He asked.

“No. I was just enjoying the night air.”

The Nohrian King collapsed upon the balcony in immense relief. His Siegfried fell to the ground and he buried his face into Kamui’s shortened locks. He wrapped a single finger around one strand and glanced at her questioningly.

“I thought I could use a make over. You know, as a way with accepting my failures.” She whispered.

“You speak of your Hoshidan family,” Xander said just as softly.

“Yes. Don’t tell me that you never feel the same.” She looked up at her older brother, her eyes unaccusing but serious.

Xander sighed and picked up the Siegfried he had let go of from the stone floor.

“Of course I do. I was too weak to actually stand up to Father.”

The Nohrian King used his other hand and removed the crown sitting upon his brow. It was supposed to be a sign of his status, but it only reminded him of the man that had tortured his siblings and used Kamui for his own ends. He tossed the crown across the balcony and watched it clatter into the guardrail.

“Why did you do that for?!” Kamui sat up and looked at the crown.

“I should have tossed it away weeks ago.” Xander sighed and leaned back on his hands.

“But you are the king!” Kamui looked at him in disbelief.

“I don’t need a crown to know my title Sister.” Xander laughed.

Kamui owlishly blinked at her older brother’s laughter, was there something in the air that made EVERYONE change moods?

“When you told me that you and the others didn’t want to get in my way I felt so ashamed. What kind of older brother am I if I can’t be there for my siblings?” Xander moved his curly hair back from his forehead.

“Xander...”

“I’m sorry Kamui. I just sat back as your pain worsened.”

“I didn’t want to bring it up. I thought you would hate me if I admitted my sorrow…” Kamui idly examined the brooch that clasped her brother’s shirt together.

“Hate you? Kamui, I could never hate you. You have a right to feel the way you do about your….Hoshidan siblings.” Xander tried to keep his tone warm, but the hesitance he portrayed at mentioning her other family made Kamui lift a brow.

“You can’t tell me you wouldn’t have lashed out like Ryoma did if I had chosen Hoshido.” She said lightly.

Xander’s expression turned grim, he put his hand on the back of Kamui’s head and placed his chin against her crown. In so many ways Kamui couldn’t help but think of Ryoma. Her other older brother had done the same when she had felt doubtful about being his sister. The only difference was Xander was burning where Ryoma was frigid.

She honestly couldn’t tell which she preferred more.

“If you had chosen Hoshido, I would have been convinced to kill you. I wouldn’t be able to face my siblings if we lost you. Kamui, you are the glue that keeps this family from falling apart.” Xander relented.

Kamui’s eyes widened as far as they could go, while they were no longer those of a reptilian beast they were still bright enough to send a shiver down the Nohrian King’s mighty spine. Her eyes were so open and curious; they held no judgment but that inherent sorrow he saw since the war remained.

What he would give to remove that sadness from her soul.

“You know if I had a choice I wouldn’t have chosen either of you. I would have found a way for this war to stop with both families.” Kamui admitted.

Xander merely stroked the back of her head and allowed her to stand away from his grasp. Kamui idly dragged the Grim Yato behind her as she stepped away to head back inside. The Nohrian King remained where he sat, his eyes transfixed on the same moon she had stared at.

“In an ideal world that would have happened don’t, you think?” Kamui asked.

“In an ideal world yes.” Xander agreed.

Kamui nodded and smiled at the back of her brother’s head.

“Too bad this world isn’t ideal. It’s time I learned that and moved on.”

Kamui disappeared into her room, her tears dry and a grim determination forming in her gut. She ignored Jakob’s concern and marched herself down the darkened hallways towards the med bay. Somehow she knew that Ryoma probably found Takumi and taken him to the only healer that could see him. Elise. Hopefully, it wasn’t too late to bite back her fear and reestablish contact with her baby brother.

On the balcony, Xander collected the crown he had tossed. He held it between his palms and dusted the dirt off of the metal. Jakob stood inside the door when the Nohrian King collected his sword and strode back in. The king handed the butler the crown and put Siegfried back in its holster.

“Could you please return this crown to my father’s quarters.” He asked.

“But milord. This is your crown.” Jakob said.

“Not anymore. I don’t need that kind of reminder of my father’s legacy.”

Jakob bowed slightly and disappeared into the darkness, leaving the Nohrian King all on his own. He glanced around the room one more time before idly picking up the wooden door that Charlotte had knocked down earlier. As if summoned by his thoughts, the blonde fighter showed herself by leaning against the doorframe.

“Rejecting the crown are you milord?” She asked.

“How long were you spying on us Charlotte.”

“Oh, long enough to watch you order that butler to put that crown away.”

The blonde woman strode confidently up to her king; her knowing smirk and hands behind her back eased her haughty image. She brought her hands up and presented the item she had been hiding behind her back.

“I kept this. Just in case.” She smiled.

Xander’s former circlet sat between her fingers, the metal polished and well kept.

“That heavy crown doesn’t suit you anyway. Your hair gets tangled too easily.”

“You would know that wouldn’t you.” Xander sighed and accepted the circlet.

“But of course milord. Someone has to keep up on your appearances.”

As he put the circlet back on his head he felt his shoulders relax under the familiar weight. It had been only a month since he wore it, but the cool metal was a much better fit than his father’s heavy crown.

“I’m grateful.” He said calmly.

Charlotte didn’t respond verbally, she just looped her arm through his with surprising gentleness for her character. Her haughty smirk disappeared into a pleasant smile and she laughed.

“I like seeing you comfortable.” She smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mikoto deserved better 2k17


	20. Chapter 20: Eulogy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know the last chapter was a bit Kamui centric but I wanted to give her some separate development before putting them back together. I would really appreciate it if my readers could provide some feedback ^^. Every comment helps me with my writing and I love to hear what you guys think about it.

“Gods damn it Kamui.” Takumi’s image flickered again for what felt like the thousandth time in the last hour alone.

The former prince glanced at his hands and watched in horror as they mingled between reality and death. He clung to his Fujin Yumi tightly, the golden bow reacting fervently to its master’s distress by trying to draw him back into its solid form. He fought against the desperate tugging in his gut, and the instinct to allow his divine weapon to pull his spirit apart.

Logically he knew he would be safe if he resorted to resting within his yumi, but the black void did not hold what little comforts he could find in this form. Maybe it was that stubbornness that kept him rooted to the spot on the ground. Or maybe it was what was left of his royal pride that insisted he confront his sister, and demand that she fix this folly.

“Takumi?” Ryoma’s ghostly figure did not leave any impact upon the worn carpets as he approached. His dark brows furrowed together, and his eyes deepening with concern.

“B-Big Brother. Is there something you needed?” Takumi forced his hands behind his back.

“Why are you sitting on the floor?” Ryoma stopped before him, his hands curling with the urge to cross his arms.

“Can’t a guy sit where he wants?”

“Of course you can. But you aren’t the kind of person to do so.”

Gods damn Ryoma and his observant nature; the younger prince huffed and tried to steady his shaking arms. He couldn’t let his big brother see the sorry state he was in; it wasn’t his conflict to deal with.

“You are shaking Takumi. What’s wrong?” Ryoma’s eyes narrowed and he stepped closer.

“Nothing! I’m fine.” Takumi insisted.

“Then why is your spirit flickering?”

The samurai bent down on one knee and gently moved Takumi’s hands away from his back. The archer protested but he held no strength to fight back, his cheeks went paler with shame when Ryoma’s gauntleted hands grasped his own. Ryoma glanced up at his younger brother’s face and frowned.

“You and Kamui haven’t been in contact.” He said calmly.

“Yeah? So what?” Takumi quipped.

“Oh Takumi.” Ryoma sighed and grasped the Fujin Yumi. He pulled the weapon out of Takumi’s lap and ran his fingers over the wood.

“Hey! What are you doing!” Takumi lunged for his weapon but his movements were slow and weak.

Ryoma stepped back and pointed the Fujin Yumi at Takumi. The archer froze in his attempt to grab his bow, his eyes widened before his spirit was sucked into the weapon. The samurai sighed and gently grasped the Fujin Yumi between his fingers, even through his leather gloves and heavy gauntlets he could feel the warmth of his brother’s soul safely nestled in his yumi.

/ What the hell?! Ryoma what did you do?! / Takumi yelled mentally.

“I don’t know what’s going on between you two but I’m going to fix it.”

/ What?! But there’s nothing you can do! /

“I’ve been gone for only a week and already you two have made things worse.”

Takumi tried to project himself from his weapon, but somehow his older brother’s will stopped him. It wasn’t painful or difficult, but every time he thought of the notion, Ryoma’s spirit responded by acting as a blockade. How was he able to do that? This was HIS weapon! His brother shouldn’t be even able to control it let alone keep him from leaving it!

/ Big Brother, let me out of here. / Takumi grumbled, his will to fight fizzling out with impatience.

“You are safer in there than out here Takumi,” Ryoma replied as he stalked the halls of the Nohrian castle with ease.

None of the Nohrian maids noticed the ghostly samurai as he made his way towards Kamui’s room. They were too busy going about their chores, and the occasional butler that passed Ryoma by remained ignorant of his presence. The samurai remained as silent as possible, even with his eerie appearance he tried to remain inconspicuous from his surroundings. Princess Camilla and Princess Elise already knew of his presence, it would be even more troublesome if Prince Leo, or heaven forbid the Nohrian King, find out that he still existed.

Outside of Kamui’s room two very familiar males were trying to fix the door. Ryoma paused and slowly peaked around the corner, they were two of Kamui’s retainers that had fought off the Invaders when they fought Azura. The grey haired butler was expertly screwing the door back onto the frame while the second male was standing to the side holding the tools that the butler requested.

Ryoma’s eyes widened when he took in the form of the green ninja. At the time he was too busy taking care of Azura and the Invaders, that he hadn’t put much thought into who was fighting alongside Kamui. His memories of the invasion of Hoshido came back; during his final confrontation with his sister amongst the flames, he had seen Kaze fighting by Kamui’s side.

The green haired ninja who had once served the Hoshidan royal family was now working as Kamui’s retainer? Did Hinoka banish him from Hoshido just as she had done with Kamui?

“I sometimes wonder what goes on in my lady’s head,” Jakob grumbled.

“She didn’t want to be bothered. It’s that simple.” Kaze shrugged.

“My lady never denies me her company. I have always been there to faithfully serve her.” Jakob pointedly tapped the side of his head with the sharp instrument he carried.

“Do you ever think you are smothering Lady Kamui?”

“Now why would you think of that Kaze?” Jakob huffed.

“Doesn’t our lady seem distant lately?” Kaze put the tools on the ground and dusted off the front of his uniform.

“I suppose Lady Kamui HAS been less receptive of my services lately.”

Kaze glanced up and stared at where Ryoma was watching him, the samurai did not move and made no sound. It was clear that the green ninja could not see him but the narrowing of his eyes suggested that he was suspicious of his presence. Ryoma slowly pulled away from the corner and started to walk in the opposite direction. If Kamui’s retainers were outside her door, then that meant she wasn’t in the room.

“Why are you staring off like that?” Jakob questioned sharply as he finished repairing the door.

“I thought I sensed someone familiar,” Kaze whispered suspiciously.

******

/ You know I would actually like to get out of here. / Takumi complained.

Ryoma sighed through his nose and patiently strided through yet another corridor of the Nohrian castle he found himself in. He knew where Kamui’s room was after following her directions when Takumi had passed out after the fight with Azura. Now that his younger sister wasn’t in her room, the samurai honestly had no idea where to start looking for her next. Even more irritating was having his younger brother’s constant murmurings dwelling in his head. It felt very unnatural, as if he wasn’t the one meant to hear Takumi’s inner thoughts. It was the only way Takumi could communicate at the moment, but the constant buzz and brush of his brother’s mind felt intrusive.

/ Where are you taking me? / Takumi sighed.

“To find Kamui. I told you I am going to fix this.”

/ Big Brother, Kamui wants nothing to do with me. /

“What did you do? I haven’t heard of any fight between you two.”

/ We didn’t fight. /

The samurai paused momentarily and watched a wayward maid travel down a separate path from his own. Deciding to follow her he kept his steps light as he pondered on Takumi’s words.

“Then why is she avoiding you?” Ryoma tilted his head.

/ She’s scared of me… / Takumi relented tiredly.

A set of soft footsteps coming from the left made Ryoma pause. He secured Takumi’s Fujin Yumi underneath his upper arm and phased through the adjacent wall. Takumi’s mind was sent into a flurry of confusion when Ryoma rematerialized on the outer rim of the Nohrian castle and peered in through one of the lower windows. It was dark outside, but his sensitive eyesight could make out a male figure creeping alongside where he had just come from.

Kaze gazed around the area as he expertly walked alongside the edge of the carpeted floor. His feet didn’t leave any trace of his steps as if he was walking on air. Normally ninjas would just instantly transport themselves to their desired location, but it seemed like the green ninja was intent on searching for something.

/ Big Brother? Are you still there? / Takumi called out.

Ryoma flinched at his younger brother’s failing attempts to keep his voice from shaking. Underneath his prickly exterior, Takumi was very insecure and desperate for attention. Having one of the only people who could see him not respond probably sent his instincts into panic mode.

“I’m here Takumi. Calm yourself.” Ryoma said lightly.

Kaze’s eyes darted suspiciously about the area, as if he was intent on catching Ryoma’s presence. But the ninja shouldn’t have any magical abilities; he was a man of physical strength not magic. Ryoma was a powerful spirit sure, but the only reason why Kamui and her siblings could see him was because they possessed magical blood. It was why none of the retainers who had fought against the Invaders known he had been present.

/ Don’t scare me like that. / Takumi said flatly.

Kaze looked towards the window that Ryoma was peering through and stepped closer to the glass. The samurai responded by scaling up the upper wall and hoisting himself into the next available window on the upper floor. He glanced back over the edge and watched the ninja as he frowned and disappeared from his search.

/ You could just float you know. / Takumi noted.

“I prefer to keep my feet on the ground,” Ryoma said resolutely.

The corridor he found himself in was exactly the same as the lower floor. With a frustrated sigh, Ryoma folded his arms and thought on where Kamui might be. Maybe one of her Nohrian siblings knew of her whereabouts. He had to fix this before Takumi was forced to reside in his bow permanently, not that he minded the idea if that meant his baby brother was safe.

/ I would prefer my freedom Big Brother. / Takumi piped up.

“I know Takumi,” Ryoma said patiently as his feet reluctantly resumed their rhythm.

Takumi’s thoughts swam in the back of Ryoma’s skull; they weren’t as dark as he thought they would be. He never imagined he would be able to read his baby brother’s mind like this. The archer was focused on finding Kamui, and for whatever reason the worry was coming from the notion that she didn’t want to see him anymore. Originally the samurai noticed that Takumi’s desire to move on to the afterlife was strong, who would want to forsake an afterlife of peace? But now, his baby brother was more focused on getting his older sister to notice him instead of thinking on being stuck in this world.

“You said Kamui was scared of you?” Ryoma asked as he passed the same scone he swore he saw 20 feet back.

/ About a week ago she stopped talking to me... / Takumi said flatly.

“If it wasn’t an argument then what was the cause?”

/ She’s scared of me hurting her siblings. /

Takumi’s admission was light, as if his heart didn’t have the strength to actually profess the words more than on a mere whisper. Ryoma paused in his steps; he gripped the Fujin Yumi away from his body and stared down at the wood. He doubted that his baby brother could see him, but the sorrow emanating from within the golden bow made him shudder.

Out of everyone Takumi had taken Kamui’s betrayal the hardest. He had become harsh towards his siblings, he was violently vocal when giving orders to his soldiers, and Ryoma often heard Takumi screaming out in terror at night during their campaign. He pondered for a moment if the desperation coming from Takumi stemmed from his desire to reconnect with Kamui on that level they lost.

Or was it something more to do with the sway Kamui had over his emotions?

Why was Kamui the one who was helping Takumi change? Why didn’t he as their big brother have that power?

“Well, did you hurt her siblings?” He asked.

/ I might have attacked that stuck up blonde prince... / Takumi admitted.

Ryoma opened up a nearby door and slowly peeked inside, a small but well maintained infirmary greeted him with soldiers and castle staff lying in various degrees of injury. The area was brighter than the outer hallway with a hearty fire brewing in the mantle near the back of the room. A small girl with bright blonde hair sat on a stool as she held the hand of a young woman wrapping her own injured arm.

“Effie, I told you not to spar against Arthur without your armor!” Elise scolded.

“Forgive me, Lady Elise, I wanted to keep myself in top physical condition.” The responding young woman with sandy hair bit down on the gauze.

“That doesn’t matter! You know his luck isn’t the best!” Elise whined.

“I know. But he’s still a decent challenge.” Effie smirked as she lightly patted the injury on her upper arm.

“If you want a challenge then spar with Charlotte!” Elise jumped up from her stool and puffed her round cheeks childishly.

Ryoma leaned against the wooden door and watched the pair of girls with keen interest. He recognized Elise from when he first arrived to stop Azura; she had been kept in the back behind her retainers as they kept her safe from the Invaders. A healer’s duty is meant to kept the injured from dying, not to be on the front lines of a battle. From the looks of her attire and the way she was addressed, it took him a moment to remember that she was Kamui’s Nohrian little sister.

Takumi’s mind bubbled up in interest from the tone of her voice, it seemed that the archer recognized the young healer readily.

/ Ask her where Kamui is. / Takumi requested.

Elise turned away from her retainer in a huff and picked up the staff that she left on the bed. She straightened her skirt and frowned disapprovingly at the one called Effie.

“You are not to spar with Arthur without your armor. Is that understood?” She asked.

“Yes, milady,” Effie said calmly as she gathered the front plate of her heavy armor off of the ground.

“Good, I am going to hold you to that promise Effie,” Elise said cheerily.

Ryoma blinked, the youngest princess of Nohr sure did have a drastic change of personality when she was happy.

Elise stiffened and peered over her shoulder; when her violet eyes caught sight of Ryoma the samurai reacted by flinching and shutting the door loudly. Effie immediately jumped to her feet and stood guard in front of her princess with her front plate still clenched in one hand.

Elise stared after where she saw the ghost of the former Crown Prince of Hoshido with a curious expression. Her hand flew to her mouth and light pink dusted her cheeks.

Ryoma leaned against the door with the Fujin Yumi dangling from his other hand. He should have known that Elise would notice him, she had magical potential after all and she was Kamui’s Nohrian sister. He ignored Takumi’s constant barrage of questions and reclaimed his composure. If anybody could help him navigate the halls wouldn’t it be best to have the help of one of the Nohrian siblings?

/ Big Brother? Are you listening to me? / Takumi called out.

The samurai silently rubbed one of his thumbs along the length of the Fujin Yumi before carefully treading over what he wanted to say.

“Takumi, you attacked one of the Nohrians?”

/ Y-yes, that stuck up blonde Nohrian Prince. /

“For what reason did you attack him?” Ryoma fought the urge to stare at the bow in his hands. His baby brother didn’t have eyes, why would he be able to notice Ryoma staring at him?

/ He tried taking Kamui away. /

Ryoma instinctively swallowed back the imaginary bile that his mind thought was building in his throat. He had hoped that Takumi’s want to find Kamui was just because they hadn’t communicated in a week. But the desperation in his brother’s tone, the urgency of being ignored, and the complete focus Takumi had on finding their sister was worrying.

If only he had stayed after his fight with Takumi instead of going to visit his sisters in Hoshido. Maybe he could have stopped their bond from growing to this level so quickly.

“Oh Takumi, I should have stopped this from happening.” He sighed.

/ What? /

“Your bond with Kamui has grown too strong.”

/ Gods damn it Ryoma! That’s the same thing that Nohrian Prince said! /

“Takumi, calm down. You are unstable.”

/ Stop telling me that. I’m not unstable. /

The Fujin Yumi grew hot underneath Ryoma’s fingertips, even through the thick leather and metal he could feel the heat wafting off of the wood. Takumi’s anger was shooting daggers through the back of his head, if his brother’s mind was intrusive before it was now beyond suffocating.

“You need to stay calm. Your negativity isn’t going to help.” He tried to reason.

/ Stop lecturing me Brother. I am not some child that you can just chide. /

Takumi’s mind pressed up against Ryoma’s with a shot of pure energy, he was trying to overpower the samurai’s will and escape his bow. Ryoma gripped the wood between both of his hands and clenched down. His will fought back against his baby brother’s spirit and the pressure zinged through his center like a searing knife.

/ Let me out Brother. / Takumi’s mental voice hardened.

“No. If you leave that bow you will fade.” Ryoma said as calmly as he could while still pushing back with all of his mental strength.

The archer’s determination roared upon the samurai’s heart with all of the fire that he kept burning inside. It did not devour and it did not control, it shot past Ryoma with eyes on the promise of freedom beyond him.

/ I’m stronger than that. / Takumi said sharply.

“Takumi, you need to stop!” Ryoma yelled as he gritted his teeth and fought back even harder. The Fujin Yumi was starting to give an eerie glow; feathers and the scent of a fresh breeze surrounded the ghostly samurai. It was reacting to Takumi’s intention just as it did when he aimed to shoot an arrow through an enemy.

“Oh! I thought it was you!” Elise gasped.

Both ghosts paused in their mental struggle, Takumi’s anger lessened, and Ryoma turned around to face the young princess peeking out from the infirmary door. Elise turned her head to make sure nobody was following her and quickly sidestepped out of the entrance. She held her staff behind her back and rocked back on her heels as she greeted the imposing samurai before her with a warm smile.

“You are Prince Ryoma right?” She asked.

“Yes. That is my name.” Ryoma straightened and stared down at her inquisitively.

“Oh, Big Sister told me about you. I think I saw you swoop down from the sky and barrel through those weird soldiers by the lake.” Elise pondered for a moment before rocking back on her heels again.

“You were the one who brought Takumi to the battlefield.”

“Oh! You are Prince Takumi’s older brother! Yes, he ended up dragging me along when he rushed around in my body.” Elise giggled as if she didn’t care that a ghost had possessed her.

The Fujin Yumi glowed again and released more feathers upon the floor. Ryoma ignored Takumi’s questions again and leaned back against the stone wall. If he had any breath left in his chest he would have been gasping right about now. He knew Takumi was strong, but to have his baby brother match him so effortlessly in a battle of wills was highly unprecedented.

“That’s Prince Takumi’s sacred bow right?” Elise asked.

“Yes, he’s currently residing inside it.” Ryoma lifted his arm and examined the divine weapon for any damage.

/ Oh yes. I absolutely adore it in here. I might make it my vacation home! /

Ryoma patiently brushed back a lock of his wild hair and let his chin fall forward against his chest plate. Elise stopped rocking and rushed up to him in concern, her healer’s eyes scanned expertly over every detail in his armor looking for signs of exhaustion or weakness.

“It sounds like he doesn’t like being in there.” She noted.

“It’s for his own protection. He was about to fade.” Ryoma sighed.

/ Protection? You forced me into my bow! / Takumi countered.

Elise stepped closer and let her hand hover above Ryoma’s that held the Fujin Yumi. She didn’t move or act upon her intentions, but she did glance up at him imploringly.

“Can I talk to him?”

Ryoma’s eyes narrowed; even with her friendly demeanor, Elise was still a princess of Nohr. She might have been just a healer but she had been there on the battlefield when they marched through Hoshido.

“I’m not going to take the bow. You can still hold onto it and watch me if you must.” Elise offered.

Ryoma’s face remained impassive, but reluctantly lifted the Fujin Yumi towards her hand. His other hand formed a fist over the hilt of his Rajinto, it didn’t matter that she was a child; he was not going to take any chances when it came towards his baby brother. He and Takumi might still have been at odds, but he was not going to let the archer out of his sights again.

Elise’s fingers brushed over the wood, she felt Takumi’s spirit recoil at her touch before the anxiety gave way to cautious curiosity.

/ Elise? / He asked.

“Hey, you said my name!” Elise cheered.

His mind went quiet for a moment, but his spirit never left contact with hers.

Ryoma watched the young girl closely as she waited for Takumi to respond. It seemed that she did not feel any pain or awkwardness at hearing Takumi’s thoughts. Come to think of it, he thought back to when Kamui held Takumi’s bow and switched places with him. Even Kamui had readily talked to Takumi through what he assumed was the same type of connection. Why was it only he that felt any sort of friction or pain when Takumi communicated with him?

Yet another way that Ryoma failed his baby brother.

/ Elise, do you know where Kamui is? /

“Well she did come to the infirmary earlier looking for you.” Elise put a finger to her cheek.

/ Where did she go? /

“Um…I think she went down to the garden. She said something about mourning?” Elise’s head titled to the left, her eyes darted towards the vaulted ceiling in thought.

“At this time of night?” Ryoma asked in disbelief.

“Nohr is always dark. It’s common for citizens to stay up this late.” Elise smiled.

The pair of unlikely royals heard the same impatient sigh echo through their heads. They both shared an unsure glance, and then matched that glance onto the glowing bow sitting in their hands. The spirit within was growing restless; his aura was literally twisting inside the black void devoid of senses.

/ Can you take me to her? / Takumi asked.

“Of course.” Elise nodded, she turned to start guiding the brothers, but Ryoma grabbed her shoulder and silently shook his head.

He mouthed to her the word ‘No’ and stepped away from the wall. The spirit sitting in the bow was unaware of his brother’s plan; he was too distracted on finally making contact with Kamui again. Ryoma passed Elise the Fujin Yumi; she grasped it between her tiny fingers and looked at him questioningly.

“Try to keep your answers vague. He can’t hear me when I don’t have contact with his bow.” Ryoma explained.

Elise nodded and waited for him to speak again.

“I don’t think taking him to Kamui is a good idea.”

“Why?”

/ Why what? / Takumi’s confusion swam through her head in dizzying waves; the young princess shook her head and ignored the ghost.

“Careful, my brother is unstable right now. He’ll notice if you ignore him too long.” Ryoma warned as he pondered on what he should do next.

“He wants to see Kamui. Wouldn’t that fix him?” Elise gently rolled the Fujin Yumi against her staff.

/ It better. Sister hasn’t talked to me in days. / Takumi huffed.

Takumi noticed the lack of soothing cold; the only thing he felt was the gentle warmth Elise generated. He couldn’t hear Ryoma speak, and if his brother wasn’t answering then that meant he must not have his bow. The archer tried to extend his reach beyond his prison, but his soul refused to budge from the weapon. Ryoma wasn’t blocking him anymore so what was keeping him trapped?

Maybe it was the exhaustion he felt creeping up on his spirit. The dark void around him urged him to sleep, he was safe, he wouldn’t fade, but still the stubborn former prince refused. He needed to confront his sister before she made things even worse for the both of them.

Wait, didn’t Elise say something about Kamui mourning? Mourning what?

/ Hey Elise. / Takumi called out.

For a moment he didn’t hear any response, the archer’s spirit flinched in fear before he fought it back. He couldn’t loose his cool right now, not if he didn’t want to scare Elise off with his ability to suck her life out. The gentle warmth holding his soul grew closer, and in his non-existent ears, he could hear the young princess’s heartbeat.

“Yes?” Elise responded.

/ What is Kamui mourning? /

“Your death.”

/ WHAT? /

On the outside, Elise jumped from the energy in his yell and accidentally let go of the divine bow. It clattered to the floor with a thud and skittered across the carpet before stopping two feet away from the startled pair of royals. Before Ryoma could reach for the bow, Takumi’s spirit jumped out of its depths and collapsed to his knees in a flurry of feathers.

Ryoma immediately snatched up the Fujin Yumi before Takumi could grab for it. The archer sat there with his arms around his torso, and his hair loosened from the confines of his ponytail. His amber eyes were wide with fear and pain, they glittered with an ethereal light not unlike what Leo described to Elise before. Takumi focused on Elise and stumbled to his feet. His image was flickering in and out of existence at a more rapid rate, parts of his image disappearing entirely as he slowly made his way towards the blonde princess.

“She's mourning me?” He asked dazedly.

Elise couldn’t move, her entire body was frozen in place and her hands could only grasp at her staff to keep her balance. She felt her heart throbbing in the base of her chest, but Takumi didn’t attack her like he did Leo. Ryoma reached his brother before he could move and wrapped his hands around the archer’s torso. Takumi sank back into his big brother’s grasp and lost what little balance he had.

“Brother, she’s mourning me…” Takumi whispered.

Ryoma puffed out a slight breath into his baby brother’s scalp, his metallic fingers slowly sweeping back the tangled silver locks. He brought the Fujin Yumi up towards the archer’s body and watched as Takumi instinctively latched onto his divine weapon.

“I heard, but don’t you think you should rest?” He asked.

Takumi shook his head and buried his face into his brother’s armor. The samurai carried no particular warmth, but he could just imagine the perfume of metal and burnt wood that used to follow Ryoma everywhere. Each royal member in his family had a specific fragrance, and for once Takumi sorely missed his big brother’s comforting scent. One of his arms vanished; the archer swiftly pried his eyes away from his fading form. He did not cry out, gods forbid he embarrasses himself more than he already has.

“I need to talk to Kamui,” Takumi said softly.

Ryoma sighed, the cold puff of air moving the archer’s bangs and making him shiver unpleasantly.

“Will you at least let me carry you in your bow?” The samurai requested.

Takumi slowly nodded his head and allowed his spirit to be sucked back into his bow. Ryoma caught the weapon before it clattered to the ground again; the warmth of Takumi’s soul was much softer now compared to his earlier fury. He could once again feel his brother’s thoughts twisting in the back of his head. But this time they weren’t intrusive, Takumi was no longer fighting him, his mind brushed against his brother’s with caution and inquisitiveness.

“Princess Elise, would you mind escorting me to Kamui,” Ryoma asked.

The blonde princess straightened, her hands holding the staff folded in front of her dress and she bowed primly. Without a word she turned on her black heel, and started down the narrow hall away from Ryoma had first arrived. 

Takumi’s spirit was quiet during the walk, his mind only occasionally peeking up when Ryoma took note of the Nohrian castle. The fury and determination he had displayed before were all but gone, his soul now floating aimlessly within the dark void with no thought of escape.

As Elise guided Ryoma down a set of winding stone stairs he dared to speak to his brother through their tenuous connection.

/ I never said you weren’t strong Takumi /

/ Mm-hm. / Takumi hummed.

Elise ducked under a low ceiling and grabbed a torch off of the wall. She balanced her staff under her left arm and ushered Ryoma through the stone door before shutting it behind them.

“The garden Kamui is in is one that only us royals know about.” She said.

She ignored the darkness that threatened to swallow the samurai up behind her. The shadows drowned what little color his grey skin provided, and the only source of light besides her torch was the glow of the Fujin Yumi. Ryoma kept in stride with the young princess who seemed to hurry her steps when they entered the shadowy corridor. He paid the way no mind and instead focused on trying to get his little brother to stay awake.

/ You aren’t a weak person Takumi. I was just trying to protect you. /

/ Mmm. / Takumi hummed tiredly.

Elise opened another stone door and waved for Ryoma to come through when the coast was clear. She smiled and continued on her way, the dusty air slowly clearing, and the corridor turning into an upper incline.

/ I know you were trying to protect me Brother. / Takumi whispered.

/ Then why were you fighting against me? /

/ Because I’m tired of having people decide for me how I should be protected. /

Ryoma nodded silently and thought back on the choices that Takumi had to endure over the last couple of weeks. Queen Mikoto had enchanted his divine weapon to protect him from possession. Prince Leo had tied his soul to his bow so that he wouldn’t have to constantly be in contact with it. Kamui had tried to end their bond by ignoring him and distancing herself, in belief that no contact would stop his emotions from growing unstable. Even Ryoma himself had forced a choice upon his brother, by sealing him away in his bow and deciding to keep him away from Kamui altogether.

It was no wonder Takumi was frustrated, the hands of fate still clenched so deeply at his soul even as a ghost.

/ I want you to trust me, Brother. / Takumi made a sound that would have been a yawn if he had a mouth or breath to use.

/ …Alright, but you can’t stop me from protecting you. /

/ I couldn’t even if I tried right? /

/ Right. / Ryoma smiled as Elise stopped at a set of heavy metal doors that were separate from the previous stone entrances.

The clouds that normally covered the skies of Nohr had parted that night, a small sliver of moon glowed in the barren skyscape with no stars to keep it company. The garden itself was pathetic compared to the ones Ryoma saw in Hoshido. The plots of flower were small and square, with only black roses and yellow daises growing in clumps. A large fountain sat in the middle of the garden, the granite structure of the Dusk Dragon just another solemn reminder of the damage Nohr suffered. Obsidian colored water fell from the Dawn Dragon’s mouth, and collected at the base where a white-haired princess sat.

Kamui’s back greeted the pair of royals, her hands slowly swirling over the surface of the shadowed water. Wherever her fingers touched a lock of water followed, the liquid slowly traveling upwards from the pool and eagerly heeding to her demands. A bouquet of yellow daises sat in her lap, the only parts of her body aware of Elise and Ryoma’s approach were her ears that swiveled at their footsteps.

“I never really did cry for you guys,” Kamui said softly.

Her head turned towards the pair, the white veil of hair sitting close to her ears left her pale neck absorbing the moonlight. Her crimson eyes were bright, and there was a wry smile on her lips. Crystal tracks of dried tears left their mark on her pale cheeks, evidence that her crying had stopped temporarily.

“Why are you crying Kamui?” Ryoma stepped closer, his brow knotting together in minor alarm.

“I just thought in order to finally move on I had to cry first.” She smiled.

The dragon princess gathered up her daises and jumped up onto the rim of the pool. She was smiling at Ryoma until she noticed the glowing divine bow sitting in his other hand. Her smile gave way to a concerned frown, for a moment her hand instinctively reached for it.

Ryoma bit the inside of his cheek when he felt Takumi’s spirit react to Kamui’s closeness. The archer couldn’t see her, but his spirit was reaching out for her warmth. The dragon princess hesitated; she pulled her hand away and turned on her heel to face the water.

“He’s in the bow.” She stated.

“Yes. He’s safe.” Ryoma said calmly, he sat against the rim of the fountain where Kamui had sat.

/ Tell her to pick up the bow. / Takumi demanded.

Elise moved to the other side of the fountain, she jumped on top of the rim and ran to meet with her big sister. Kamui smiled when Elise approached, her fingers reaching out to place a yellow daisy in her baby sister’s hair. Kamui’s smile diminished again when one carmine eye glanced back at Ryoma.

“Mother did say he was fading. Guess my fear just caused more damage.”

Takumi’s spirit spiked in heat, his thoughts racing with what was keeping his sister from talking to him. Ryoma rubbed the wood of the Fujin Yumi with his thumb.

“So you met with her.”

“Yeah. She helped set my head straight.”

Takumi curled in on the mention of their mother; the only thought repeating in Ryoma’s head was when did Kamui meet Mikoto.

“I was just about to give a eulogy. You know, to finally cry and let it out.”

“Is that why you are down here?”

Kamui twirled on her toes and sank down onto her knees, she let a daisy fall into the water and flicked one finger to let the water spread out its petals.

“Yes. I never really got a chance. Not that I deserve it.”

“It’s good to cry.”

/ Cry? Sister is crying? / Takumi piped up, the tone of his thoughts giving way to intrigue.

Kamui smiled ruefully and lifted her hand towards the sky; the water behind her formed a hand and followed her movements. She placed another daisy into the watery palm and motioned for it to crush it and fling the petals around the trio of royals. The shower of flower petals caught Ryoma’s eye, but he focused solely on his little sister and her next movements.

“I don’t deserve to ask for forgiveness. Especially from you.”

“Can you at least give me the chance to forgive you Kamui?” Ryoma asked softly.

The dragon princess rocked back on her heels, her soft white hair swishing between her pointed ears. Her scarlet eyes focused solely on Ryoma for a moment, they were warm and encompassing, completely different from the shadowed curtain that he had seen since returning to the world.

“I can try.” She said slowly.

“May I hear this eulogy?”

Kamui faltered and stared at her older brother with open question in those scarlet depths. Takumi scoffed and made what Ryoma assumed was the spiritual equivalent of an eye roll, his spirit coiled in the bow and the warmth in Ryoma’s gut did a flop in response.

/ Hearing your own eulogy Big Brother? Isn’t that a bit morbid? /

“If it will help Kamui finally move on I am more than willing.”

Elise sat down besides Ryoma, her legs folded under her massive skirt and her staff lying against her thigh. She put her hand on the Fujin Yumi, and smiled when she felt Takumi respond with silent curiosity.

/ Do you want to see? / She asked him in private.

/ Wait, you are OFFERING me to possess you? /

/ You don’t want to stay in the void forever do you? /

Takumi did not reply, his spirit dimmed slightly in consideration before Elise felt the warmth tingling up her arm in a quiet plea. Elise smiled and closed her eyes; the two older royals didn’t notice the shift, the only change in Elise’s appearance was a sharper wisdom highlighting her violet eyes. Takumi’s spirit settled inside her body, the shift still feeling unnatural, as he was so used to Kamui’s physical form taking his shape. Elise appeared next to him, her spirit silently crouching behind the fountain away from the eyes of Ryoma and Kamui.

Takumi still held onto the Fujin Yumi, as long as he remained in contact with it Ryoma was none the wiser to his soul being in the body of the young princess. His warmth still sat inside the divine weapon, his possession of Elise’s body being a mere extension.

“Well, I thought of a eulogy for both you and Takumi,” Kamui whispered.

“I would appreciate hearing the one you made for me.” Ryoma smiled.

Kamui shifted on her toes before taking a breath through her pale lips. She looked at Ryoma questioningly before her brother nodded to encourage her. Takumi remained silent; he didn’t want to give away his position just yet. His eyes remained trained on his sister, when she glanced over at him he simply nodded and tried to show her a warm smile that Elise would give her.

Kamui didn’t say anything when she looked at Elise, the warm smile her little sister tried giving was only half-hearted. She glanced slightly out of the corner of her eye where Elise’s hands were resting on the Fujin Yumi. The sharpness and attention in Elise’s gaze told her all she needed to know, it was her little brother staring at her not her little sister.

Swallowing back the lump in her throat, the dragon princess raised a hand and motioned for the water behind her to scatter the remaining daisy petals it held.

“I know I don’t have a right to speak about my older brother.”

Kamui tilted her head in thought, her eyes darting towards the tiny sliver of the moon hanging in the sky.

“I honestly don’t have a right to talk about my little brother either after what I did.”

Takumi frowned and settled just a bit closer to his sister; her feet were near his free hand. But if he reached over now she wouldn’t admit what she wanted to say, and it would ruin his chances of finally confronting her. By the way that Kamui glanced at him, it was obvious she could recognize him in Elise’s body. He didn’t look away when she stared at him, and after a moment she nodded in silent agreement.

He would hear her out, but she had to be unafraid.

“I didn’t know Ryoma or Takumi very well when I came back to Hoshido.”

Elise’s head peeked up from behind the rim of the fountain, her violet eyes followed Kamui as the dragon princess twirled on her toes and faced her watchers.

“I still don’t remember that much about the life I once lived.”

Ryoma frowned at the comment and straightened his back.

“But, even with what little I knew of them, I know they were both worthy men of the royal family.”

Elise watched from her hiding spot, she looked at her body where Takumi’s spirit sat. His hand clenched around his divine weapon, but the weight of his grip went unnoticed by his older brother.

“I didn’t have the time or the privilege to get to know them on a closer level.”

Kamui stared up at the moon again, her carmine eyes remaining transfixed on the glittering disk.

“But I know that Ryoma always put his country and family first.”

Ryoma felt the corners of his mouth tug into a tight smile; he remained ignorant to his little brother sitting in Elise’s body. Hearing Kamui giving a eulogy to a person she hardly knew really seemed out of place. But he wasn’t one for interrupting people, and he was the one who had asked her to speak her mind.

“I can’t claim to understand what went inside his head when I went back to Nohr.”

The smile on Ryoma’s face faltered, his eyes darkened and he pulled his gaze away from the dragon princess’s backside.

“I think I broke his heart.”

Elise frowned and rested her chin on the rim of the fountain, Kamui’s tone wasn’t overly sad as she was used to. Instead the dragon princess was speaking lightly, as if she had already accepted the statement as fact. The Nohrian princess glanced over at her body, Takumi was scowling in distaste but was it because of what Kamui did or was it because she was finally saying it out loud?

“Spending all that time trying to find a little sister only he really knew. Kind of a waste, and yet he still held out hope for our reunion”

Takumi’s scowl slowly morphed into a frown, he knew he should feel angry at Kamui’s words. His instincts told him to jump up and berate her, but he honestly felt tired and empty. Their week long disconnection left him barely able to hold his image together, his spirit felt heavy even when in the bow, and what determination or strength he showed Ryoma before was slowly fizzling out.

If he was to be completely honest he wanted to stop his sister, if only to stop the pain that would come later.

“If I had one unspoken thing I wanted to say the most. It would be I really appreciated his efforts to make me feel like I belonged. I’m grateful for his efforts.”

Kamui turned around and stared directly at Ryoma. His eyes zeroed in on her face, no tears fell from her eyes but the shadows playing across her face told him everything.

“I’m sorry. And Thank You.” She said softly.

Ryoma used his free hand to reach for his sister; she accepted the gesture and took his hand in her own. The cold emanating from his form made her shiver, it wasn’t too dissimilar when she made contact with Takumi. She didn’t know if things would ever be the same between them. After she had turned her back on Hoshido it was really a miracle that Ryoma wanted to forgive her at all.

Ryoma smiled comfortingly, his lips never moved but his eyes told her that he was more than accepting of her eulogy. It seemed to satisfy him to know that she wanted to make things right.

“There was one person that I hurt just as much.” Kamui continued as she climbed to her feet.

Her eyes bored into Takumi’s borrowed violet, he fought back the urge to reach for her with her being so close. The tugging in his gut was almost making him twitch violently in his seat, her warmth was so close he could feel her body temperature and scent floating off of her bare skin.

“My little brother who died by my hand.”

Takumi offered his free hand just as Ryoma did, but Kamui pulled away from her perch and stepped closer to the water.

“I believe out of everyone Takumi was hit the hardest.”

The dragon princess tilted her head in thought, her brows furrowed and she seemed to make a silent decision before opening her pink lips.

“Calling me a traitor, Nohrian Scum, trash, saying I wasn’t his sister, everything he said was obviously out of rejection and pain.”

“I hated him for it.”

The one sentence made Takumi flinch; he almost let go of his Fujin Yumi when he brought Elise’s tiny hand to where his chest should have been. He remembered exactly the exchanges that they had. The accusations he threw at her in the square of Hoshido after Mikoto died, the insults he threw at her at their encounter at the harbor, and the pure hatred he felt on the Great Wall of Suzanoh.

The tugging in his gut went hollow, what kind of idiot was he for expecting that Kamui would be so willing to forgive him for his actions? Maybe she had been so willing to bond with him for the same reason he did.

She wanted to forgive him just as much as he wanted to forgive her.

“But, I realized that I could never truly hate him. Even with all of his bluster, he was just a kid.”

Takumi coughed into his open palm, the indignation in his expression quickly making Ryoma lift a brow.

“If I had paid attention, maybe I would have seen his need for recognition.”

The archer’s spine stiffened, he tried to keep his face emotionless but Kamui’s small quirk of her lips told him she saw his panic.

“I want to state right now that I was not the one who killed our mother.”

Ryoma’s grim face nearly matched Takumi’s own, the memory of Mikoto’s lifeless body falling in Kamui’s hands replayed in his mind. The blood curling scream, and the water that burned his sister’s skin kept their claws in his heart.

“Whoever killed our mother will pay. I swore that to her.”

Takumi’s ears twitched, his eyes searched his sisters with his unanswered question. What did she say to Mikoto that had fueled her new determination?

“But if there is anything I want to say to Takumi the most, it would be I still love him.”

Kamui smiled and mockingly knocked the side of her skull with her knuckles.

“I know I’m an idiot for saying that. But I want to forgive him, even if that makes me weaker in comparison to others.”

She let one of her feet fall back into the pool, the bubbles collecting on her toes and pale flesh.

“I’m just that naïve. But I still imagine getting to know him, training with him, maybe having him teach me how to use a bow...”

Takumi was about to stand up and follow her movements. But he forced himself to remain in place; Ryoma’s suspicious glances were too close to the edge.

“You know this may sound weird, but I sometimes dream of another life. One where me and Takumi aren’t siblings.”

Elise stifled a gasp with her black gloves, and the two ghostly royals sitting beside Kamui looked at each other with disbelief.

“There were these two little boys. One with white hair and one with silver hair. About roughly 2 or 3 years apart by the looks of it.”

Takumi’s heart almost jumped into his throat, there was no way she was implying what he thought she was.

“Their names were Kiragi and Kana. They were so lovely together, such a dear pair of brothers.”

Ryoma’s mouth fell open in a weary creak, he raised a gauntleted finger to interrupt but nothing came out. Takumi’s eyes had widened as far as they could go, when he glanced nervously to his left he caught sight of Elise holding her chin between her fingers. Heat slowly spread across his cheeks, the actual thought of having a family with Kamui of all people had never really crossed his mind in that form before.

But was it bad to say that he wasn’t completely against the possibility?

“Alas it was just a dream. The two boys calling me Mother, holding Takumi’s hand, but you know what part I wish was real?”

Kamui bent down in the water and swirled her fingers over the surface. The liquid followed the trail of her tips with thin streams reaching towards her. Takumi wanted to scoff at the water; if anybody should be touching her it should be him.

He shook his head violently. When did that thought cross his mind?

“Just once I wish that he would have shown me a true smile.”

Takumi grabbed the Fujin Yumi from his brother and jumped up. The heels on Elise’s feet almost made him tip over; his balance was instinctively accustomed to the moccasins he normally wore. Ryoma stared at him fully now, his suspicious glances turning into intrigue and surprise.

“Takumi, you can possess the bodies of others instead of just Kamui?”

Takumi ignored his older brother and scowled at Kamui’s backside.

“I’m still here.”

Kamui’s ears twitched slightly but she didn’t respond. Takumi scowled even deeper and released his hold on Elise’s body. The young princess yelped and stumbled when she was pulled back into her flesh so violently. Ryoma caught Elise before she fell into the pool, his cold armor making the young blonde shiver.

Takumi ignored the flickering of his spirit and centered his focus on his sister’s backside. Taking one step closer he felt his foot disappear momentarily before reappearing. The closer he got the harder it was to maintain his outer form, his Fujin Yumi kept trying to suck him back in to it’s protective depths but he outright refused to let it happen again.

“Don’t ignore me Kamui. I’m still here.” He spoke louder, his legs simply walking through the stone rim of the pool.

Kamui tilted her head to the side in question, the white veil of hair hugging her neck swayed back against her skin. Her fingers continued to twist across the surface of the water, the same liquid that simply passed through Takumi and left him empty of any warmth or cold.

“Sister.” Takumi demanded when he sat beside her.

“You know, maybe what I really wanted was just to get closer to you.”

Kamui finally turned to him, her fingers leaving the water and trailing lightly over his own. The warmth from her skin was immediate, Takumi almost collapsed from relief before he straightened himself up. She was smiling, her mouth moving in slight bemusement.

“Ironic that we find trust in your death.”

Takumi’s fingers twitched, he fought back a sigh and silently lifted his hand in question towards hers.

“We can still find trust.” He finally amended.

Kamui’s smile grew warmer, and for a split second the ghost thought of how he wanted that warmth only for himself. Maybe, such thoughts were the reason that Kamui was scared of him.

“I’m scared.” She whispered.

“I know. I am too.” He sighed.

Kamui’s fingers found his own, and the warmth enveloped the cold core that had formed in the pit of his gut. Takumi’s eyes fluttered shut as the familiarity drove away the negativity that had been building up for a week. His image stabilized, his legs found solid ground, and he could finally let go of his bow. He automatically enveloped Kamui’s other hand in his own and pulled her closer.

The color racing between their bodies was a pale calming blue.

“Is that what you always wanted? To see me smile?”

Kamui lifted a single shoulder in a shrug, her eyes too busy focusing on the color that she had missed racing between their fingers.

“Seeing you smile, watching you be happy is something I always wanted to give.”

Her fingers found their way to his loose hair and twisted the locks between her nails. Takumi sighed again out of pure relief and leaned slightly into her touch.

“There’s still a chance for it to happen.” His eyes never opened, but a tiny smile of content and exhaustion tugged at his lips.

Kamui smiled fully and glanced over at Ryoma and Elise. The two royals were watching the pair intently. Ryoma raised a brow in question, but Kamui simply shook her head and motioned for him to let go of Elise. The blonde princess found her footing and stood at the edge of the pool. Her lips pulling back into her own happy grin after seeing the two siblings finally bond again.

“I know.” Kamui sighed happily as she leaned her head on Takumi’s shoulder.

The former prince didn’t answer, his body going limp and falling into Kamui’s lap. She played with his soft hair, as his eyes slid closed from the rush of energy she gave him.

Right before he fell completely asleep, the archer reached for her hand again and brought it to his chest. His insistent grip told her not to move, and the princess didn’t as she stared up at the glassy moon with light in her eyes.

Things could still get better. They just had to try.

Ryoma watched the pair of siblings from afar, his eyes glossed over like dull glass in a foggy morning. Mikoto was known for her prophetic visions, and because Kamui was her one and only daughter then that could mean...

The samurai shook his head, there was no way to tell if Kamui’s dream was prophetic or not. He had promised Mikoto that he would still treat Kamui as his little sister, even with the truth hanging ever closer near the edge of her vision. But those two children she spoke of, Kiragi and Kana, were they truly in their future? Or was another dream for Kamui to toss away?

He frowned deeper in thought, the words of worry dying in his throat. No, not yet, he would not reveal the truth unless it was absolutely necessary. Even with Kamui’s newfound strength, if she found out too soon it would break her.

For a moment Ryoma stared at the stars, and prayed to the Dawn Dragon for strength. But alas, as he already knew, the gods would never answer for if they did Takumi would still be alive and Kamui would have come home.


	21. Chapter 21: Discussions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Went back and fixed some plot holes in the previous chapters. If there are any plot holes I have missed please tell me. Sorry, this chapter took so long.

“Milady, are you sure you haven’t sensed anything different?”

Kamui twirled a lock of her hair idly; she sat upon the pillow on top of her bed with the Fujin Yumi shoved between her covers. Kaze implored his mistress with a concerned frown, she had been acting strangely for far longer than he would have liked. The green haired ninja stalked closer to the princess and knelt by her bedside. She smiled warmly at him and tapped her foot upon the sheets.

“Trust me Kaze I would know if anything felt off,” Kamui reassured him.

The ninja responded with an imperceptible grunt, he glanced downwards at Kamui’s legs. His eyes darted away quickly as a slight blush crawled its way across his nose.

“My brother Leo would tell me if something magical happened.”

A mental tug at the back of her head made Kamui give a slight grimace. She could feel the indignation and anger building from the spirit in the bow. She forced her face to remain flat when her retainer examined her with a minute sweep. It was bad enough that 3 of her siblings knew of the spirit, she really didn’t need her retainers to know more than they did.

“I thought that when we were fighting those corpses that I had seen Prince Ryoma.”

“Perhaps it had been Ryoma. He was a powerful man after all.”

A chuckle resonated from the other side of the room; the mentioned samurai leaned against the banister that led to the stone balcony. Kamui ignored him as well and kept her focus solely on her retainer.

“Do you think he might have come back to help you?”

“Perhaps. Even in the afterlife maybe he wasn’t able to stand by and watch me almost die at the hands of Azura.”

“A-Azura? You mean Lady Azura?”

“Did you not see her?”

“I do remember seeing her momentarily, but I didn’t know she was an ally of the corpses.”

“Kaze, you are a smart man. How could you not notice her trying to impale me with a spear? Or the purple mist that clung to her like it did with-“

Kamui’s heart stuttered, her fingers flew to her mouth.

“Your brother?” Kaze implored.

A gentle brush of curiosity resonated in Kamui’s heart, the spirit pressed against her mental wall in a silent question.

“Yes.” Kamui let go of her twirled lock and fiddled with her dragonstone instead.

“It seemed for a moment that Prince Takumi had been summoned as well.”

Kamui’s fingers tightened around the base of her dragonstone.

“Or perhaps I am mistaken. I didn’t get an entirely good look so all I have is my assumptions.”

The spirit inside the Fujin Yumi nestled closer to Kamui’s warmth; she could feel him curling around her own spirit in search of stability. Kaze sighed and bowed slightly before turning away from his mistress.

“Perhaps he wanted to save you. I cannot be certain.”

Kaze turned and stared briefly at the spot where Ryoma stood. The samurai didn’t blink, but his brow did lift in doubt. The ninja’s eyes focused and unfocused before he shook his head.

“I’ll be back shortly with your breakfast Lady Kamui.”

Kamui raised a hand to stop him, but the ninja vanished as he was so inclined to do.

“I’ll never get used to that.” She murmured.

“That is the second time he’s done that.” Ryoma stepped away from the banister and sat at the foot of the bed.

“Do you think he can sense you?”

“I don’t know. But he was following me yesterday when I went searching for you. He can’t see me but I think he’s getting suspicious.”

“Well, you are a powerful spirit Ryoma. My siblings with magic can already see you without the aid of a spell.”

A flash of burning jealousy burned its way through Kamui’s throat. She grasped the blankets beneath her hands tightly and slowly let her breath go. Reaching beneath the covers she gently grasped the Fujin Yumi and brought it out from its hiding place. She stroked the wood with the tips of her fingers, the spirit inside went quiet and the jealousy slowly petered out.

“Is Takumi alright?” Ryoma looked at the bow with concern.

“He hasn’t spoken to me all day. But he’s stable for now.”

“He hasn’t spoken to you?”

“Would you want to speak or show your face to the person who abandoned you twice?” She asked.

Takumi’s mind brushed across Kamui’s in a hesitant manner, she couldn’t sense his thoughts because he had forced a barrier between them. The ghost prince had fallen back into his weapon after falling asleep the night before. He hadn’t said a word or shown his face to either of his siblings all day. But whenever Kamui tried to move around or if she ignored him for too long, she would always feel a piercing rush of anger and sadness flow through her.

“He was unstable yesterday so seeking relief was more important than feeling anger or despair towards me.”

“Kamui, can you please tell me why you are scared of Takumi?”

Kamui stared up at her older brother, she sighed and slowly handed him the Fujin Yumi. She could feel Takumi’s mind panic when her mind pulled back. She let go of the bow completely, and that aggravating sadness gripped at her throat. Ryoma gently puts the bow on his lap. He stroked the bow like Kamui did before, and let Takumi’s thoughts slow down to a crawl.

“He told you that he harmed Leo right?”

“Yes.”

“And you know that our bond is growing stronger.”

“That’s correct.”

“My negative emotions are making his emotions worse.”

“But you said he was stable right now.”

“He is. Our emotions influence each other, as long as I feel stable he feels stable. As long as he feels fine, I feel fine and more like my old self.”

“So that’s why you tried to pull away from him.”

“Yes, unfortunately, Takumi and I are more linked than I thought.”

She gestured for the Fujin Yumi, and when the golden wood finally came into contact with her hand the floodgates opened. Takumi’s panic came back in full force, his mind picked at her barriers and settled against the edge of their shared mental space. The ghost prince’s mind buzzed with unspoken words.

/ Don’t scare me like that. / Takumi grumbled.

/ Oh, you are actually speaking to me now? /

/ Don’t push it, Sister. /

/ Whatever you say. / Kamui teased lightly.

Takumi didn’t speak again, but his warmth told Kamui that her brother was accepting of her teasing. His cautiousness was deserved; he had almost died a second time because of her fear.

Kamui’s ears twitched, she threw the Fujin Yumi at Ryoma and desperately pulled at her brother’s hand. Ryoma stumbled to his feet until Kamui pushed him towards her dressing screen and forced the samurai behind it. The older male glanced questioningly at her, but the dragon princess waved her hands and motioned for him to stay silent.

As if on queue, Kaze reappeared by Kamui’s bed with a tray full of tea and sweets.

/ Kamui! What’s going on? / Takumi asked.

/ She can’t hear you Brother. / Ryoma replied.

As if to prove her wrong, the pair of brothers felt a wave of warmth roll between them. Ryoma blanched at the sudden heat, but it was Takumi who responded to it readily. He sighed contentedly and curled up within his bow, his emotions of jealousy and anger ebbed away and he fell into a light doze.

Kamui plastered on an innocent smile and thanked her retainer when she saw him dutifully putting the tray on her bedside table. Ryoma peered over the dressing screen; his eyes darted between Kaze and Kamui with suspicion.

Kaze’s expression faltered, he stared at where Ryoma stood not even 2 feet away from him with a furrowed brow.

“Lady Kamui are you sure nothing is out of the ordinary?” He asked.

“I think you have been working too hard Kaze.”

Kaze focused on the dressing screen and turned to stare at his mistress as she climbed back up onto her bedspread. His eyes narrowed at the shortened locks hanging around her ears. Her cheeks were pink with happiness when she brought a chocolate pastry to her lips and bit into the dough. Her eyes were alight with a fire he hadn’t seen in months, and her tiny fangs flashed in the dim light of the morning.

“Forgive me milady. But you are lying to me.”

Kamui stared at Kaze before swallowing the pastry in her mouth. Her smile flattened and she shrugged her shoulders.

“I guess I shouldn’t have tried. Ninjas can see through the deception.”

She launched herself from her seat and made her way towards the dressing screen.

“You have been very suspicious lately.” She said calmly, her hands pushing the dressing screen away.

Kaze honestly didn’t know if he was meant to be disappointed or annoyed at his mistress’s sense of humor. There was nothing behind her dressing screen. He folded his arms and silently implored her with a lift of a brow.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand the joke Lady Kamui.”

Kamui rolled her eyes and seemingly wrapped her hand around thin air, she stared at the middle of the air and then back at Kaze. Her eyes widened when he didn’t move, she drew closer while struggling with whatever imaginary friend she had created dragging behind.

“I need you to close your eyes.”

“What? Why?”

“Please, Kaze just do it.”

The ninja tapped his fingers on the inside of his forearm. When he didn’t move Kamui’s fingers darted into the locks of his hair. The tiny flower she had given him remained, even as the leaves curled and the petals were turning brown.

“Don’t you trust me?” She asks.

“I trust you with my life Lady Kamui.” He said with ease.

“Then just listen to me. Trust me about this.”

The man sighed and reluctantly closed his eyes. He felt Kamui’s fingers leave his hair, and the air stirred when she stepped away from him. Her voice murmured to someone else, even though they were the only two in the room. He trained in on Kamui’s words, and it was really like she was having a one-sided conversation.

“I know he’s not magical but it could still work.”

Kaze’s brow twitched with indignation.

“Come on, he has a good head on his shoulders.”

Well of course he did. Otherwise, Lady Kamui would have died ages ago.

“Okay, now that was uncalled for.”

“L-Lady Kamui? Are you feeling well?”

“I’m fine Kaze.”

“I don’t think its working Kamui.”

Kaze’s shoulder flinched, his eyes flew open and he jumped in front of his lady with a protective edge. He had heard a very familiar male voice, but there was no way that could be true when that person was dead.

Ryoma stood near the balcony doors, the golden Fujin Yumi resting in his hands and an astonished expression overcoming his face. The green ninja’s eyes widened, he slowly straightened from protecting Kamui and glanced up at the imposing samurai.

“Prince Ryoma?” He whispered.

“Are you going to stab me with that knife Kaze? Because I hate to say it but I’m afraid I've already beaten you to the dead part.”

The ninja fell to his knees and instinctively kneeled before the former Crown Prince of Hoshido.

“I’m sorry milord.” His voice was stiff and uncertain.

“Kaze, there is no need for that.”

Ryoma passed the Fujin Yumi to Kamui and gently guided the ninja to stand on his feet.

“I’m no longer a prince. You don’t have to treat me as such.”

“I have no right to even say your name milord. Not after what I did.”

The samurai in faded armor’s fingers tightened around Kaze’s shoulders. He straightened his back and cleared his throat. The green haired ninja lifted his head with reluctance and met his former prince’s gaze.

“What you chose is your choice Kaze. You can’t undo what has been done.”

Kamui coughed into her hand, the brush of her brother’s gentle spirit stopped her from making fun of Ryoma’s bluntness. Takumi whispered in her mental ear to stay quiet, their older brother had to make his statement on his own.

“You followed Kamui out of faith. If anything you still remain a loyal man. I can tell just by how dutiful you are as her retainer.”

“Are you ashamed of me milord?”

“Please stop calling me that Kaze. I am just Ryoma now.”

Ryoma stepped back away from Kaze and let his shoulders drop into a more relaxed state. A heartbroken but forgiving expression pursed his lips, he watched as the ninja backed away from him.

“I don’t understand. You are a spirit. How can I see you?”

“Ryoma is a powerful spirit. His presence can be felt by even those the most non-magical person if they focus hard enough.” Kamui spoke up.

“How would you know that Lady Kamui?”

“I studied a lot about the supernatural as a child. What? I was bored.”

Takumi’s spirit tightened around Kamui’s heart, she could feel the insecurity and envy dripping from her younger brother. Their mental barrier was loose; it was as if he didn’t care if she heard his thoughts. The ghost didn’t speak, but the bitter taste of bile climbed in Kamui’s throat the longer she felt his envy burn.

“Lady Kamui, is that the Fujin Yumi in your hands?”

The dragon princess glanced down at the polished wood of the divine weapon. The pristine white feathers falling from its form told her that Takumi was nearly recovered from his ordeal over the last week. Kaze’s eyes darted between her and the bow; his questioning glance silently implored her for an answer.

“Yes. And before you ask no I didn’t steal it. My mother summoned it.”

“Queen Mikoto? When did this happen?”

“Maybe it would be better just to show you.”

She grasped the bow between her hands and reached towards Takumi. Her little brother flinched back in surprise, but his spirit didn’t reject her approach. He cautiously reached out towards her energy, and let her coax him into her physical form. Kamui felt her own soul slowly push out from her body until the threads of gravity finally let go. Her breathing stopped, her heart ceased, and she watched as her skin turned gray. Kaze darted towards her with a grunt, but his hands went through her ghostly form.

Takumi gasped loudly, his legs suddenly found the ground beneath him and his ponytail fell back against his lower backside. He gripped on his divine weapon with all of the strength he could. Kaze stumbled backward from his sudden appearance, the former prince tried to calm his pulse with slow breaths. Ryoma responded by gently grasping Takumi’s shoulders and guiding him to sit upon Kamui’s bed.

“Prince Takumi.” Kaze spoke in disbelief.

“Warn me next time.” Takumi glared at Kamui with a cooling gaze.

Kamui shrugged at her brother’s halfhearted gripe, his anger was no longer directed squarely at her. Oddly enough he had adopted a softer sense of humor around her if a dry tone and sarcasm were considered soft. For Takumi standards, the lack of bite in his words was already an improvement.

“I don’t understand.” Kaze stared at Kamui’s spirit.

“Takumi is haunting me.” She said simply.

“Is this because of his death?”

The former prince flinched, his hands tightened around his pants and he stared at the floorboards. Ryoma tried to coax his younger brother to relax by slowly rubbing his shoulders with one of his cold hands.

“Y-you saw that Kaze?” He whispered.

“Of course milord. I am one of Princess Kamui’s retainers, I fought alongside her during that battle.”

Kamui knelt in front of Takumi’s face; she gingerly brought her cold fingers to his chin and hovered over his skin. The archer slowly lifted his face, and the princess smiled sadly. Her fingers danced across his chin, he didn’t pull away instead he leaned in just the slightest bit so only she would notice.

“Kaze, maybe we should tell him the full story.”

“You mean about King Garon?”

“Exactly.”

Kamui leaned her forehead against her brother’s and let him lean in closer to her soothing cold touch.

“Takumi, what do you remember from the war?”

He sighed and clenched his fingers tighter against his pants, the freezing cold surrounding him kept his body from overheating. He concentrated on the washed out memories and breathed as calmly as he could through his nose. Blurry images danced behind his eyes.

He could see Kamui reaching for him, her tears falling on his face as he fell backward over the Great Wall of Suzannoh. Her screams of despair echoing inside his head made him gasp loudly and jolt violently from his trance.

“I remember falling from the Great Wall...” He said softly.

“You also said you remembered the aftermath of when I killed you.”

“Yes. I don’t recall before that point. But I do remember meeting you in the afterlife and giving you my Fujin Yumi.”

“How did you know that your body was possessed?”

“I could feel it. I can’t recall battling you, but waking up in the afterlife pretty much tells you that you are already dead.”

“Did I tell you anything about King Garon besides his worshipping of Anakos?”

“No. All I know is that he didn’t love you and that you killed him.”

Kamui’s hands found their way towards his and she gently pried his fingers away from his pants. She hummed quietly and examined the dark fabric of his gloves with mild curiosity.

“King Garon had been possessed just as you had.”

“What?”

“He had been turned into a monster of slime.”

A quiet snort escaped from her brother’s mouth, his fingers instinctively wound their way around her short curls.

“Well isn’t that ironic. I doubt he was the actual Garon then.”

“No. Essentially he was a monster who impersonated the King.”

A knock on Kamui’s bedroom door turned the heads of all 3 males and the one female in the room. Takumi was about to climb to his feet, but Kamui urged him to stay seated. She floated warily towards the door and put her ear to the wood; on the other side, she could hear the steady breathing of two people. When she didn’t give a response, the obviously smaller of the two knocked on her door again.

“Who's there?” She asked.

“Kamui. Camilla and I wish to speak with you.” Leo said.

“Um, give me a minute Leo!” Kamui called.

She silently waved her arms to catch the attention of the boys in her room; Kaze silently stalked to her side and bent down to let her whisper in his ear. Ryoma and Takumi shared a wayward glance, and after a moment Kaze nodded in affirmation at his mistress’s orders. Kamui ran her fingers through her hair and tried to fix her transparent curls. She turned to Ryoma and motioned him to come closer, this time only Takumi watched on in suspicion.

His older siblings exchanged soft words, Ryoma actually had to bend over to reach Kamui’s huddled position. The ghostly samurai nodded his head in thought, and the ghost princess motioned at Takumi with her hands. The youngest prince furrowed his brow and crossed his arms in frustration. He tried to peer around Kamui’s shields, but her thoughts remained out of his reach. All he could feel when she wasn’t holding the Fujin Yumi were her emotions. A gentle brush of bemusement was the only answer he received from his sister.

“Kamui. Did you break a leg or something?” Leo called out.

At the sound of the prince’s voice, Takumi jumped up and stalked towards the door. He was about to shove the door open, but a pair of strong metallic arms gently encircled his torso. Takumi was lifted off of the ground and cuddled close to a very familiar chest. He gave a stern yell in opposition, but Ryoma turned away from the door and ignored his kicking legs.

“Maybe now is not the best time Takumi.” The samurai said calmly.

“You are making a bad habit of carrying me, Brother,” Takumi growled.

Kamui floated towards the door and phased through the wood. She ignored Takumi’s protests and watched as Leo stepped back when he saw her head pushing outwards.

“Oh dear. Kamui why are you a ghost again?” Camilla asked.

“Takumi has my body.”

“Ah, yes that’s right. The little prince is haunting you.”

Leo coughed into his open palm and straightened his collar; Kamui gave him a once over and stiffened. Both of her Nohrian siblings were dressed in the ebony armor of the royal family. The sounds of swords clanging rang in her ears, and the smell of burnt flesh filled her nostrils. Kamui let out a scream and stumbled, she clung to the wall behind her to prevent herself from passing through the stone.

She was about to gasp for breath, but the lack of pain in her chest left her whistling between her teeth. Camilla immediately ushered her away from the wall and clasped her shoulders. She gently shook the wayward dragon princess and urged Kamui to look up at her.

“Kamui! Darling, what’s the matter?” She asked.

“I…” Kamui collapsed to her knees and tried to breathe.

The dragon princess desperately grasped her dragonstone and forced her breathing to steady. She fought against the instinct to gasp and kept her spiritual body still to stop the shaking. She bit her fangs into her bottom lip until the pain blossomed in the bottom of her chin, she could still hear the screams of the Hoshidans as her army marched through the capital towards Castle Shirasagi.

“W-why are you dressed in your armor?” She asked.

“Xander summoned us. There’s something you need to see.” Leo said urgently.

Kamui shrugged away Camilla’s hands and stumbled to her feet. She let her dragonstone fall against her breast.

“Alright.” She sighed.

“Aren’t you going to get changed?” Camilla asked.

“No. I refuse to wear that armor.”

She faded back into her room and was met with the sight of Takumi asleep in Ryoma’s arms. Kaze stood by the window with his arms folded, his cursory glance at his mistress alerted him to her sour mood. Ryoma looks up at her and puts a finger to his lips while the other curled into Takumi’s hair. The younger male grumbled in his sleep and tried to turn in Ryoma’s lap.

“He’s still weak.” The samurai sighed.

“Not surprising. After how strained our bond was.”

At the sound of her voice, Takumi’s emotions lazily swayed in Kamui’s mind. Exhaustion was the only thing he was expressing at the moment, but she couldn’t be sure if that was really all he was feeling deep inside.

“Ryoma can you keep Takumi here?”

“Well, I suppose. But may I ask why?”

“Xander summoned me. I don’t want Takumi to follow.”

“I doubt the King will be able to see him.”

Kamui lightly grasped the Fujin Yumi that Takumi held and allowed her spirit to inhabit her body once more. She had hoped to give Takumi more time in a physical form, but she didn’t know if Xander would be able to see her as a spirit. He was a physically powerful man, but his lack of magic left a lot to be desired in the realm of enchantment. No wonder Charlotte fancied him, he was strong, sturdy, and had the power to back it all up.

She felt her feet grow heavy against the floor and let go of the divine weapon. Takumi murmured in his sleep and brushed his spare hand against hers; the cold left a shock of red on her skin.

“Kamui? What’s with the staring?” Takumi opened an eye half way.

“Nothing Takumi. Go back to sleep.”

The former prince narrowed his eyes and scowled, he sat up as much as he could in Ryoma’s lap and grabbed her wrist. He yanked her towards him insistently and pulled Kamui’s face down to his level.

“You are leaving.” He stated.

“I am needed.” Kamui couldn’t make eye contact, the memory of burnt flesh left an acidic taste in her mouth.

“Then I’m coming with you.”

The archer launched himself out of Ryoma’s lap and floated soundlessly towards the ground. He kept the Fujin Yumi under his forearm and brushed off his clothing. When he glanced up at his sister it was an expression of annoyance and loneliness.

“Takumi, Xander summoned me.”

The ghost didn’t respond, but his eyes narrowed even further and his back straightened.

“Something is wrong.”

“Yes. But I don’t know what. He summoned me and the others.”

“I’m still coming with.”

Kamui wordlessly shook her head, she tried to step away from her brother but he responded by stepping towards her. She backed towards the door until her back met the wood, and Takumi’s form stood over hers with a noticeable stubbornness. He didn’t move after trapping her. His amber eyes darted over her facial features, the anger softened slightly at the corners when he saw the panic building in her face. He could feel it bubbling to a point in her mind.

“Why are you trying to abandon me again?”

“I’m not. But...”

“Kamui. You almost killed me yesterday. Again.”

She dared to meet his eyes, the anger burned her to the core but oddly she knew it wasn’t completely directed at her.

“But, I understand why you were so afraid to be close to me.”

The former prince sighed and glanced down at his leather gloves, the dark fabric didn’t hide the fact that he could see through their surface. If it weren’t for that one time when Kamui’s bare hand pulled his glove away he wouldn’t have been convinced that he still had skin. He clenched his fists and bit his tongue, but no pain radiated from the lax muscle. He was empty, a weightless spirit who only pretended to be grounded in reality.

“I can be unstable Kamui. My emotions aren’t my best feature.”

Kamui’s panic seemed to calm for a moment, but she kept her emotions welled up beneath her mental barrier. All Takumi could feel from her was slight whispers that peeked through the cracks.

“We make each other feel worse. Your sadness makes my anger stronger.”

His fingers darted forwards and grasped her hand between the digits. Her pale skin was stark to his gray tones, after a moment a splash of blue circulated between their palms.

“But, at the same time against all odds, we are stuck like this.”

He leaned his forehead against hers and implored her silently with his mind brushing against hers.

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do,” Kamui responded immediately.

“Then, please. Don’t leave me behind.”

Leo knocked on the door again, the dragon princess could feel the vibrations radiating from under her back. Takumi’s soft expression hardened again, his eyes darted towards the door with burning irritation. Kamui quickly grasped his chin and directed his attention back to her.

“If you are going to come you need to leave Leo alone.”

“He’s hurt me,” Takumi growled.

“I know. But Xander doesn’t know you exist, what do you think would happen if he saw Leo battling an invisible enemy who can shoot arrows?”

The archer huffed and put his hands on his sister’s shoulders.

“Fine. But I’m not leaving your side. Even if…” His expression darkened and he stared at the floor.

“I won’t let you destabilize Takumi. But you have to trust me.”

He guffawed sharply at her statement, but his gentle grip on her shoulders never tightened or damaged her skin.

“How can I? You keep leaving me behind.”

“I said trust Takumi. Not forgive. I’m not asking you to forgive my actions.”

The dragon stepped up until her warmth pressed against his cold torso, her fingers couldn’t quite grip any tighter on his face. His ‘skin’ was frigid and malleable, but it lacked the resistance that a living person’s face had. If she tried she could probably pass her fingers through the back of his head.

“Like you said I have a right to be scared.”

Takumi’s figure flickered for a moment, along with his face where her fingers touched a stream of red circled towards his cheeks.

The archer didn’t say anything; he stared impassively into Kamui’s ruby irises without moving a muscle. A moment passed between them, the tension between the two could have been powerful enough to push against the air around them. Ryoma was about to step forward to stop a potential argument, but Kaze put a hand on his former prince’s shoulder and shook his head.

This was an agreement the two unlikely siblings had to make on their own.

Kamui was about to open her mouth again, but Takumi beat her to the punch with a single finger on her lip. He put his cold thumb against the bottom lip and pushed it downwards. The dragon princess watched as her brother passively inspected the fangs that glittered between her gums. His eyes flicked back to hers and a stirring of questionable emotions erupted between them.

Reluctance, loneliness, desire, and exhaustion all mixed into one was the signal that pulsated from her baby brother.

Takumi wordlessly handed his sister his Fujin Yumi. He gave a single nod and disappeared into the bow. His spirit settled comfortably in the back of her head, and their mental barriers lifted so that their thoughts mingled once more.

/ Fine. / Takumi grumbled.

Kamui would have thought he was angry, but the truer emotions couldn’t be hidden by his usual bravado. A hesitant hope had filled her baby brother, and she could feel it radiating from within her heart.

He really wanted to move on and trust her.

Memories of Hoshidan corpses darted behind her eyes, she could still see Hans as he slashed through the crowds of rebels at Cheve. His maniacal grin that plastered across his face when he killed that poor woman Scarlet. All of that blood that had been spilled after she had worked so hard to prevent any casualties. It all came back and hit her like a brick, but Kamui steeled her ground and stopped the scream that wanted to leap out of her throat.

/ Hey! Kamui! What are you doing? / Takumi asked.

Kamui shook her head and pushed the memories away. By Takumi’s reaction, it seemed he couldn’t see her memories. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing remained uncertain.

/ It was just a flashback. / She calmed her tone and kept her panic leashed.

“Kamui, why has the Nohrian King summoned you?” Ryoma asked.

“I don’t know. But it sounds urgent.”

“Then I’m coming with you too.”

Kamui pinched her brow and sighed, she couldn’t believe that she was stuck between two sets of siblings. She doubted Xander would be able to see Takumi let alone a powerful spirit like Ryoma. But what about Leo? How would HE react to seeing the former Crown Prince of Hoshido still lurking about?

“Fine. But let me get dressed at least.”

*******

Leo paced impatiently along the carpet beneath his feet, Camilla leaned against the nearby window with a smile. She watched her little brother grow more restless the longer Kamui remained in her room. The dragon princess had opened the door only to slam it in their faces when she saw their armor.

“Leo darling, you are going to draw a trench in the carpet.”

“Kamui is taking too long.”

Camilla rushed her gauntleted fingers through her lilac hair; it had been over a month since she wore her Nohrian armor again. The cool breeze between her legs wasn’t unwelcome, but to her surprise, she was much more comfortable wearing a durable pair of tights. A pair of lavender tights sat against her legs, she guessed the casual clothing she had grown used to left an impact on her armor choices.

“She was having a panic attack, dear.”

“I don’t understand why. We weren’t here to arrest her.”

“Leo. Kamui wasn’t left unscarred by the war.”

The blonde prince paused in his pacing; he turned to stare at his older sister. When his expression didn’t change, Camilla lifted herself from the window and sauntered towards him.

“She’s haunted by her Hoshidan siblings.”

“In more than one way,” Leo mumbled.

Camilla adjusted the headband sitting on Leo’s head, the prince ducked away from her touch and failed at hiding his flushed cheeks.

“Oh, you are too adorable.” Camilla cooed.

“Really now? You hardly ever say that.”

Heartbroken, the elder princess pouted and folded her hands across her chest in a mild prayer.

“Sweetheart, do you feel neglected?”

Leo’s cheeks darkened, he straightened his collar and turned sharply away from her.

“Why would you ever think that?” He said dryly.

He felt a thin torso press up against the back of his armor and a pair of sturdy arms wrap around his middle. A sharp chin buried itself in his blonde locks and the smell of lavender soap surrounded him. His magic hummed beneath his fingers as if it was conjoining with the magic humming in Camilla’s veins.

“Leo, you know I love you right?”

“Obviously Sister.”

“Then why are you jealous of Kamui?”

The younger prince grunted and kept his face pointing away towards the other end of the hall. He could feel Camilla’s cold metallic fingers carding through his hair. She sighed through her nose, the gentle breeze tickling the top of Leo’s scalp.

“Perhaps it’s because you and Xander always paid her more attention.”

“Leo, that was never because she was the favorite.”

“That’s complete and utter bullcrap.”

The blonde wrenched his body away from Camilla and he faced her with a violent turn of his torso. He barely reached the tip of her nose, and it was disconcerting having her violet irises glaring down at her beneath her creased brow. Camilla’s hand raced through the spare threads of her hair. She tilted her head to rest in the palm of her hand and she clicked her tongue.

“Oh really now?” She asked.

“You always baby her Camilla. Even now you still treat her like a child.”

“Tell me, Leo. Did you ever pay attention when we went to the Northern Fortress?”

Camilla towered over her baby brother; she put her hands on his shoulders and pressed down. He could feel the heaviness of her palms against the steel encasing his body, and the shadows playing across her face dared him to move away.

“I remember a little girl who was never allowed to have friends. She was never allowed to smell the flowers or to even see the snow fall in winter.”

Camilla grinned slightly; her teeth glittered dangerously betraying any sense of serenity she tried to show.

“She was without a mother or even a father who cared for her.”

“Father hardly cared for any of us.”

Camilla nodded once and stared up at the ceiling where she pretended to count the dust motes collecting on the old stone.

“Did you know Father ordered Kamui to be whipped whenever she cried?”

She felt Leo balk under her grip, he took a step back, and when she stared back down at him she saw the offensive grimace sitting on his lips.

“What?!” He hollered.

“Kamui was not a princess to Father. She was just a slave.”

“Then why did he call her a princess of Nohr?”

“That my dear Leo was simply for appearances. Nobody questioned a wayward child being kept in the dark, not when we had our own mothers killing each other.”

The pair of siblings turned towards the door when they heard Kamui’s voice talking to someone. Leo was about to reach the door again but Camilla blocked him with an arm. She turned towards the door and shook her head when a deep male’s voice resounded with Kamui’s.

“Who is that,” Leo said darkly.

“I’m sure you’ll see in a moment.”

The younger prince huffed and stepped back towards the middle of the hall. He flicked through the pages of his Brynhildr in boredom. The pages glowed slightly underneath his fingertips, as they had done that one time before when he encountered the other prince. He raised his eyes towards the door again and clenched his precious spell book closer to his chest.

The divine weapons were resonating again.

“Tell me, Sister. Why are you so obsessed with babying us?”

“It’s because I’m selfish.”

Camilla casually paced with her hands folded behind the small of her back. Her heels made no sound upon the worn carpet, and she hummed calmly between the murmurs she could hear from Kamui’s room.

“I’m a fucked up person Leo.” She smiled.

Her back met the stone opposite of Leo’s current position; she stared down at the black armor sitting against her chest. Ebony was not her best color; it drained the life out of her skin. But it did do wonders when it came to hiding the blood, not like she had many functions besides being a warrior for the Nohrian army.

Kamui marched out of her room with Kaze and the spirit of Ryoma trailing behind her. Her hair was brushed back neatly, and her Grim Yato sat tied against her waist. But she did not don the Nohrian armor that was meant to announce her status. She wore a simple tunic and tights, clothing that would do little to protect her fragile form. The Fujin Yumi was tied against her back, and her body was stiff with agitation.

“Kamui darling. Shouldn’t you wear your armor?” Camilla asked.

“No.” Kamui marched past Camilla and kept her shoulders straight.

“Excuse me, but is Prince Ryoma literally following you still?” Leo trailed behind his siblings. He stared at Ryoma and started to circle the ghostly samurai.

The samurai stared at the shorter prince and tried to keep his face straight. His hand darted towards the Rajinto sitting against his waist. When Leo saw him reaching for his sword, the Nohrian jumped away and reached for his Brynhildr.

"Okay no fighting. Leo, you've already seen him.”

Leo’s stance didn’t relax, but he didn’t attack or move towards the imposing samurai.

“May I ask why you are still here Prince Ryoma?”

“I’m here to help my sister,” Ryoma said simply.

Leo’s face held no reaction; he loosened his grip on the Brynhildr and straightened his collar. The way Ryoma said ‘Sister’ made the younger prince’s gut twinge. He sidestepped past Kamui and Camilla and marched his way ahead of the group with his hands behind his back.

“Then that must be why you have not returned to the afterlife.”

“No fighting with Ryoma then?” Camilla asked her brother.

“Against an undead samurai who was only defeated by his own hand? No thank you.”

Kamui glanced briefly at Ryoma’s bemused smile and shrugged. She raced after Leo with Camilla in tow. Ryoma’s eyes focused on the Fujin Yumi sitting across Kamui’s back. He couldn’t stop the imaginary lump forming in his throat. Takumi hadn’t spoken to him much at all that morning, and the exchange he had previously with their sister left more questions than answers.

Could Takumi really trust Kamui? Or was he just forcing it?

“I wouldn’t think too hard about it milord.” Kaze bowed his head and kept his focus on Kamui’s back.

“Did I say that out loud?” Ryoma balked.

“No. But you are a very easy man to read when it comes to your siblings.”

Ryoma’s gaze saddened and he cleared his throat with a small cough. His knuckles gripped hard at the Rajinto. It’s electric hum used to feel welcome, but now the sword felt lifeless in his grip. He had stolen the blade from his own grave when he first arrived in the living world. The sacred sword of his family didn’t hold much breath in its metal as it once did.

Perhaps in that way, it was just like it’s master, lifeless and without the strength that used to carry the nation.

“I just hope things can be different this time.” He whispered.

*****

/ Have any guesses as to why the Nohrian King wants you? /

/ I haven’t heard any reports of any invasions, or even any sightings of Azura. /

Leo watched his sister pacing along the doughy carpet in a leisurely manner with no hurry in her step. He had taken to letting Camilla lead so he could watch Kamui with easier access in case something went wrong. His Brynhildr had not calmed down since she emerged with the Fujin Yumi on her back. The magic between the pages was growing stronger with each passing minute; he could feel the heat humming on the inside of his skin and in between his fingers.

/ Regardless we need to be careful. /

/ I agree. /

Leo stepped closer to his sister and reached out a hand to grasp her wrist. The cold metal snapped Kamui out of her stupor. Her legs went stock-still and her head slowly turned to glance at their joined hands.

“Kamui. There is something you should know before we reach the throne room.”

The dragon princess’s face tightened in pain, a flash of anger permeated from Takumi’s spirit. His mental presence gently pressed up against hers despite the anger she could feel burning in her gut. The Fujin Yumi upon her back grew a little bit brighter, the string glowing a deeper blue with dust motes collecting along the fabric of her tunic.

/ He’s not going to hurt me Takumi. /

/ That’s not it. /

Takumi’s spirit wrapped around her heart in a full embrace. She could feel his energy melding with hers in a bid to tell Leo to back off.

Leo’s eyes widened when he saw the Fujin Yumi’s strengthening light. His hand flew away from her wrist but the warmth in her chest didn’t disappear.

/ I can’t have him taking you from me again. /

Kamui’s hands flew towards the Fujin Yumi; she ripped it off her back and thrust it away from her body. Takumi’s spirit didn’t weaken, but the mental yelp he gave alerted her to the panic brewing in his mind.

/ Wait! Kamui! / He yelled.

/ Just give me a minute. / Kamui whispered.

She couldn’t quite let go of the divine weapon sitting in her hands. The golden wood and the azure bow glowed eerily in the dull light. She examined the weapon closely for any signs of foul play or evil auras. Pristine white feathers shed from the bow’s string and landed on the carpet beneath her feet before disappearing like fallen rain. Takumi was constantly pleading with her to not let go of the bow. His thoughts were racing loudly in the back of her mind and the princess couldn’t bring herself to quiet him.

/ Takumi. / She said to catch his attention.

The former prince paused in his panicked ramblings.

/ I’m not going to let you go. I’m just scared you’ll… /

/ I won't. Not again. /

His spirit brushed against her heart, she felt the heat race through her temples and down past her chest.

/ Please for the love of the gods don't scare me like that. /

Kamui brought the Fujin Yumi against her chest, she felt Takumi’s spirit calm and curl comfortably around the center of her heart. His thoughts slowed and Kamui garnered the strength to look back at Leo.

“What’s wrong Leo?” She asked.

Leo’s expression was astonished at the escapade he just witnessed. The Nohrian prince stalked closer to his sister and slowly circled her in an appraisal. He hummed to himself as his dark eyes darted in an examination of her entire form. Kamui didn’t bat an eye at her brother’s closeness, but she felt the faint pang of jealousy coming from Takumi before he raised his shields and blocked it off.

“Just making sure HE didn’t harm you.”

“He has a name.”

“I’m aware of that.”

The blonde stopped in the center of the carpet and confidently put his hands in front of his chest.

“Your little friend is stronger than I realized.”

Leo looked quickly behind him to make sure Camilla couldn’t see. The older sister was walking ahead without looking back leaving the younger prince satisfied. He slowly peeled back the fabric of his enormous collar to show Kamui his pale throat. The pale peach was slim and colorless just as always, except for a dark red blemish that extended from the base of his chin to his jugular vein.

A fading human handprint clenched at Leo’s throat that moved when he swallowed.

“W-what?” Kamui couldn’t get the words to form.

“Your brother did this to me.”

Takumi’s soul reacted to Kamui’s shock, the comfortable grip he had on her heart quickly grew tighter. His spirit shivered and a quick pulse of insecurity raced between Kamui’s temples. She slowly stroked her thumb over the base of the Fujin Yumi and hummed in the back of her throat.

/ I-I didn’t mean to. / Takumi whispered desperately.

“Will it fade?” Kamui’s eyes couldn’t stay away from the handprint.

“It’s not permanent. But he’s able to phase through armor. That’s dangerous.”

/ I didn’t mean it! / Takumi yelled.

Kamui’s ears rang with the desperation of her Hoshidan brother’s voice. She gripped the divine weapon to her bosom and ignored the sadness shaking her core. She quickly sent waves of reassurance towards the ghost in the bow and waited. Takumi responded with a slight whimper, his sharp tongue shattered by his fear.

His mask was so delicate, it took only the most passive of words to fluster or disturb the archer with the deadliest accuracy in Hoshido.

“He says he didn’t mean it.” Kamui tried to smooth over the emotions she could feel fighting their way up her throat.

“I doubt that.” Leo’s sharp gaze sought to pierce the spirit he so disliked.

Takumi’s aura clung to Kamui like a desolate cloud, he was dangerous and unstable and if this persisted then his sister wouldn’t last for long.

“However, I am not so full of myself to not apologize for what I did.”

Leo pulled his collar back over his neck and slowly straightened his clothing. His movements were stiff with hidden emotion but he didn’t show much on his face.

“Trying to go against your wishes has harmed you both.”

Kamui could feel Takumi trying to see through her eyes. His mind grumbled in irritation from within the bow while he tried to press closer to the barrier between them. Kamui pondered if there was a possibility, she took a calming breath and allowed her mind to wander away from the barrier that separated their consciousnesses. She reached out to her brother and brought his awareness closer.

/ What are you doing? / He asked.

/ Trust me. / She stated.

Takumi gave an irritated grumble but he didn’t pull away, their minds melded together in a warm touch that sent shivers down Kamui’s spine. She could hear his thoughts as if they were her own. Strangely she still held on to a fragment of self-awareness, it wasn’t like he was possessing her. She could still feel the carpet beneath her feet, and gravity tugging at her torso. She breathed slowly through her nostrils and opened her eyes again.

On Takumi’s side within the void of his mind, a burst of color appeared out of nowhere. He instinctively went to blink, but he had neither eyes to blink with nor no mouth to shout with. His “vision” was full of that bastard Leo’s face; the prince was staring at ‘him’ as if he could see him from within the bow. After a moment something inside him clicked, he was seeing through Kamui’s eyes.

Her vision was now his vision.

“I apologize for making things worse,” Leo said slowly.

The pair of siblings that shared a head paused. Takumi’s immediate thought was to turn away and reject his apology. But Kamui’s brain was telling him that they should accept Leo as an ally, his magical knowledge and spells could prove to be a powerful asset against Azura.

While the siblings held their little mental argument, on the outside Leo couldn’t help but watch his sister’s face flash between different emotions. Her eyes narrowed for a second, then they turned inward in a silent plea. Her mouth twitched between an unusual scowl and her characteristic gentle smile.

“I take that you don’t agree?” He asked.

Kamui ran her fingers through her curls before looking at him squarely in the face.

“Takumi doesn’t trust you. But he’s willing to work alongside you if you intend to help us.”

“And why is he so willing?”

Suddenly Kamui’s body shifted, his sister seemed to come directly out of her chest with a whisper of a gasp. Kamui floated harmlessly to the ground and turned to face the now physically available Takumi. The younger brother gasped at the same time that Kamui did, but his gasp was raspier and drier. He coughed into his hand and steadied the sudden weight gain of his legs. He glared up at Leo and jabbed a threatening finger at him.

“I’m not doing it for you.” He scowled.

“Oh really then? Who is it for? Kamui?” Leo said with little interest.

His Hoshidan counterpart grew a few shades redder before gathering his composure and grunting loudly.

“You are a gifted mage that much I can see.”

Takumi marched up to Leo and pressed his chest against his Nohrian counterpart. He was barely an inch taller than the blonde but he took advantage of it by staring down at the boy before him. Leo didn’t seem to back down at his presence, he allowed Takumi to press against him with no intention of backing down.

Kamui quickly assumed her position between her brothers; she grasped her dragonstone and wedged her free hand between their chests. Both boys didn’t seem to care about her interruption, their little staredown was more important at the moment.

“You could be of use,” Takumi said calmly.

“Oh really? You are willing to work with Nohrians are you?”

“No. Sister trusts you, but I will only work with her.”

Leo appraised his opposite for a second more; he nodded his head once and stepped away from the confrontation. He folded his hands across his Brynhildr and started to follow after Camilla’s footsteps.

“Very well. I have said my apology. I do not intend to make things more difficult for my sister or my other siblings.”

He stopped for a moment with a slight glance back at the pair. His dark eyes glimmered dangerously with an unspoken threat.

“However. Just know Prince Takumi, if you go under again I will be the one who puts you down.”

Kamui’s hand remained suspended in the air. She turned towards Takumi and grabbed his hand before dragging him unwillingly after Leo.

“H-Hey! There’s no reason to be so forceful!” He complained.

“Shut it,” Kamui said calmly.

Takumi continued to complain as they walked towards the throne room. He tried to drag his feet along the floor but Kamui’s enhanced strength kept him moving.

“I’m not a doll! You don’t have to drag me!”

“Thank you by the way.”

Takumi’s ramblings paused, his mouth hung open in a bid to start yelling again but Kamui’s soft words stopped him. She was looking at him with a gentle smile on playing on her rosy lips. Her ruby irises were gleaming with happiness, a sight that made Takumi’s (or was it her’s?) heart stumble in embarrassment.

“F-for what?”

“For accepting Leo’s apology. And for hearing him out.”

“W-well I had to. I’m tired of fighting with him.”

The princess pressed herself up on her toes and kissed the tip of her brother’s warm nose.

“I’m proud of you Takumi. Thank you for taking a chance on me.”

For a fleeting second, he didn’t see the panic brewing in her eyes. He didn’t feel the pain or the sadness she kept beating down. Her mind was at ease, and it was as if a fresh breeze swept between them and filled his lungs with its air. Kamui wasn’t looking at him with the fear that he hated. She was staring at him as if he was truly there beside her, the ruby irises that showed every emotion were filled to the brim with bleeding empathy and trust.

This little flash of contentment was the real Kamui. The one that he could barely remember from his childhood, and the one that had returned to him when she came back to Hoshido.

This was the real sister that he had lost so long ago.

Kamui slowly encouraged her little brother to grasp the base of his Fujin Yumi. Their fingers encircled temporarily, and he saw a short stream of pink flow between their digits. Kamui gave him another smile and ran to catch up with her Nohrian siblings. Takumi raised his hand to try and catch her attention, but his words died on his lips when he saw her disappear around the bend.

Ryoma and Kaze finally caught up with the archer, only to see him standing by himself with a fierce blush on his face.

“Takumi. Are you alright?” Ryoma asked.

Takumi buried his face into his neckerchief and refused to meet his brother’s eye. He pulled his Fujin Yumi to his chest and cuddled it closely to where his heartbeat pulsed.

“Why are you physical? Did you and Kamui have a fight?”

“No. She just embarrassed me.”

“How so?”

Takumi couldn’t really say why he let his heart race with such a powerful pound. Kamui was always confusing him with her personality, but the bleeding heart she bared so rarely now was the most concerning factor of them all. At her core, the dragon princess was still the giving woman she always been. But he could see the bitter edges digging at her smile, and the tears that threatened to follow whenever she was confronted with her actions.

Every day their bond was growing stronger, he was getting stronger and so was she. But when would the day come where it would end? The memory of her dream fluttered in his head. What would it have been like to have kids? Not with Kamui, but in general? Would he have been a good father?

Takumi sighed softly and raised a pair of fingers to touch the tip of his nose.

“She’s just so confusing.” He replied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is an action chapter.


	22. Chapter 22: Azura Returns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry that this chapter took so long! I just graduated from University and moved into a new apartment. So my life has been pretty hectic lately ^^. On to the next action chapter!

Selena paced impatiently along the carpet outside of the throne room, she tossed one of her red pigtails behind her head and scoffed. Lady Camilla had told her she would only be a minute. Apparently retrieving Princess Kamui was too much of a hassle even for her lady.

Beruka ignored her impatient coworker and continued to silently sharpen her axe with a sharpening stone. She sat crossed legged on the carpet with her back against the wall, she would have preferred to be flying but wyverns were not allowed in the castle walls. She glanced up at Selena when the redhead let out another scoff; setting aside her stone she stood up and replaced her axe against her hip.

“Why are you acting so impatient?” She asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?! Lady Camilla is late!” Selena screeched.

Beruka sighed with her fingers lightly scratching the bridge of her nose; she shook her head of the urge to stab Selena and scowled.

“Lady Camilla does not need to answer to you every time she goes somewhere does she?” 

“Well, I AM her head retainer! It’s my job to keep her safe.”

“Clearly our lady can handle herself.”

Camilla walked towards her retainers with a rush to her step; behind her were Leo and Kamui who tried to keep pace with their older sister. Kamui’s retainer Kaze slowly padded behind his mistress, when they came to a stop he stopped by crouching on the ground with a bow.

“Ladies! I am so sorry to keep you waiting.” Camilla smiled.

Selena turned around with a huff and shoved open the throne room doors without a word. Beruka stared after her co-worker and bowed apologetically to Camilla before stalking after the redhead. The royal siblings paused for a moment until a resounding screech from Selena echoed out of the throne room.

“Ouch!” She yelled.

“You know better than to ignore Lady Camilla.” Beruka’s monotone sounded just the tiniest bit stern.

“Well aren’t we off to a great start.” Leo sighed.

“Lord Leo! There you are!”

The youngest Nohrian prince couldn’t stop a groan from escaping his mouth when his own retainers came bounding towards him. Odin was clutching his Thunder tome tightly to his naked chest, and Niles was strolling behind him with a maniacal grin. Leo straightened his back and glanced at his sisters.

“Save me.” He said tiredly.

“What, the so-called “Genius of Nohr” can’t handle his own men?” Takumi sneered.

Leo glanced behind his shoulder in time to see the ghosts of the Hoshidan brothers finally catch up with the group. It was indeed strange to see his Hoshidan counterpart without pointing his weapon at him, but that sneer on his lips still carried the same weight. Ryoma lightly placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. Takumi stiffened under the weight and looked up to watch Ryoma shake his head against his actions.

“Actually, they are very…energetic. And sometimes I can’t handle it.”

Takumi’s sneer dropped, his eyes darkened in thought. He moved away from Ryoma and stepped closer towards the other prince.

“They overload you?” He asked.

“Their eccentric natures can be tiring.”

The blonde prince darted into the throne room right as Niles and Odin caught up with him. Niles bowed to the princesses before him and ran in after his charge with a chuckle. Odin was the one who skidded to a halt in front of Kamui, but his eyes were not staring at her directly. They stared over her shoulder at where Takumi remained, his pupils struggling to focus on the ghost.

“Um...Odin?” Kamui asked.

“Milady, a dark aura clings to your very soul!” He announced with a flourish.

Takumi responded with an indignant huff, but Kamui ignored his reaction and tried to distract the blonde sorcerer in spandex.

“A…dark aura you say?” She asked curiously.

Odin folded his hands outwards with his Thunder tome pointed at Takumi. His brow shook with effort and he bit his lip until it turned white.

“I Odin Dark command you to disappear spirit!” He demanded.

“Excuse you?” Takumi spoke aloud, even though he knew Odin couldn’t see him at the moment.

“Odin, wouldn’t Leo be mad if you cast magic in the hall?” Kamui gently put a hand on Odin’s wrist and blocked his failing view.

“Under normal circumstances you are right. But this spirit must be vanquished!” Odin pulled away from the princess and pointed his tome threateningly at the invisible archer.

“This guy is ridiculous.” Takumi brandished his Fujin Yumi and summoned an arrow ready to scare the sorcerer off.

“Odin! You can’t just leave Prince Leo unattended!” Selena stomped out of the throne room and grabbed Odin by the ear.

“Selena! You are disrupting my work! Princess Kamui is-”

“Princess Kamui is fine! YOU are going to be on the ground in the next couple of seconds!”

The remaining royals and Kaze exchanged confused glances about what they had just seen. Ryoma pushed past Kamui and Takumi and silently peeked into the open entrance to the throne room. His hand immediately went to the Rajinto sitting across his thigh. The only sound was the sharp clang of metal as he was about to launch himself through the doors.

“Ryoma! Wait!” Kamui ran in front of him and pushed back against his chest.

“Kamui? What is the meaning of this?”

“You can’t just go charging in there. Xander can’t see you remember?”

“And you know of this why?”

“Leo’s spell only works with those who possess even a little bit of magic.”

Kaze stumbled from his previous position, the ninja struggled to keep his eyes focused on his mistress but a groan escaped his lips. He pinched his brow together and fell onto one knee on the ground.

“Kaze!” Kamui was about to step away from Ryoma, but her brother’s insistent foot pushing against the floor kept her from letting go of the blockade.

“I’m fine milady.” Kaze insisted and lifted his head with a tiny smile.

Kaze gingerly held his nose as he finally managed to stand up straight. His tiny smile that he struggled to maintain fell immediately. He turned his head searchingly around the corridor. He straightened his back and coughed awkwardly to announce his intended question.

“Prince Ryoma and Prince Takumi have not moved?”

“Um, no?” Takumi huffed.

Kaze didn’t reply to Takumi’s statement, the former prince of Hoshido bristled and folded his arms defiantly across his chest.

“What? Kaze are you just going to pretend like I’m not here now?”

“Oh dear, Prince Takumi, he can’t see you,” Camilla said worriedly.

Ryoma backed away from his stubborn stance and stared at the ninja questioningly. Kamui acted upon his distraction by forming her arms into giant draconic claws and pushing gently against her brother’s back. Ryoma’s feet skidded against the carpet before sinking into the ground completely. He paused in his attempts to fight back and slowly pulled his limbs out of the carpet.

“It seems Kaze has been forcing himself to see my brothers.” Kamui gasped for breath, leaning against her knees to catch air in her lungs.

“That’s crazy.” Takumi quipped with disapproval, his tied silver locks rocked against his transparent back with no sound.

“Forgive me milady.” Kaze bowed his head.

Kamui opened her mouth to speak, but a loud growl and the sounds of magic being fired stopped her. A large boom rocked the floor; dark smoke slowly crawled out from the crack that the doors failed to close. Kamui pushed open the doors with her still transformed claws. The doors fell back upon their hinges with a resounding crash as the princess ran into the room towards the commotion.

“Hey!” Takumi’s indignant call was ignored.

Leo blasted back another Faceless with his endless supply of vines; the oozing monster dribbled saliva through its mask and struggled against the bindings. The prince raised his hand over his head, and the monster went flying into the wall behind him. The Faceless gave a gurgling snarl and went still as its mask fell away to reveal a headless torso with black ooze slipping from its neck.

Yet another Faceless formed from the black ooze, it raised its fist and launched itself at Leo. The mage ducked from the fist that landed just barely over his head, he gave the monster a quick uppercut to its mask and shoved his other hand through the chest. Dozens of vines violently sprouted from the monster’s backside, the overgrowth immediately grew over the monster and crushed it to death.

“What the?” Kamui skidded to a halt, in her haste she didn’t notice that her feet had instinctively turned into talons.

A Faceless went flying over her head, she turned in time to watch it land on its back and slide through the open doors into the hallway. Xander dusted his armor off slowly from the tussle. He stabbed his Siegfried through the gut of a Faceless that came up behind him and sliced the beast in half. The two halves fell to the ground and melted away into more of the tar-like substance.

“Ah, Kamui, you are alright.” Xander’s voice rose slightly with relief.

“Brother, what in the world?” Kamui asked.

Xander shot a beam of dark energy through a group of Faceless that had formed from the severed halves of their brother. The monsters fell into a heap in front of him; the Nohrian King scoffed and gingerly stepped over the mess.

“This is why I called for you.”

“Be gone, vile creatures!” Odin bellowed as he cast Thunder on a couple of Faceless chasing him.

“Odin! Stop shooting lightning everywhere!” Selena scolded, her Armorslayer effortlessly knocked the helmet off of a Faceless currently eating her pigtail.

Kamui transformed her entire arm into a dragon limb and launched it at the Faceless harrowing Selena. The creature growled menacingly, but her giant talons pierced through the putrid flesh and crushed it to death. Selena looked back at Kamui for a minute, the same flicker of recognition formed on her face for a brief second. The redheaded woman nodded her thanks and leapt between Odin and the Faceless he failed to bring down with his magic.

“Xander where are your retainers?” Kamui asked.

“They are currently in the north hall, more of these monstrosities have appeared there as well.”

“That’s all I needed to hear.”

Kamui grasped her dragonstone and called upon the ancient magic she could feel boiling in her veins. Her Grim Yato screamed against her side, the burning metal seared against the thin fabric of her tights. She dug her fangs into her lips and willed the powerful magic to transform her body. Water collected at her feet, and in an instant, a large reptile stood where the princess once was.

She lowered her head at her brother, her featureless mask coming close to his nose.

“Tell Camilla I went out the other way,” Her garbled voice asked, the dragon princess lowered her head and charged out the northern entrance.

“Kamui!” Xander yelled, but her gray form disappeared before he could stop her.

“Again with the dragon form? Our dear Lady Kamui sure loves to crush people doesn’t she?” Niles cooed.

“Shut up Niles,” Leo ordered, he casually threw another Faceless over his head. The beast fell to its death with a less than enthusiastic thump.

******

“Where are these monsters coming from?” Laslow turned on his heel as a Faceless missed his head by a hair.

“Who cares? The more they are the more I can stab!” Peri shoved the end of her lance up through the Faceless’s behind and hefted it over her shoulder.

The male dancer twisted his blade in his left hand and cut it nimbly up the throat of another Faceless standing behind. The monster let out a muffled groan, black muck spewed from the 6-inch cut. Laslow ducked underneath the spray and cringed when he saw it splash against the far wall. 

“I hope the stains come out.” He whispered.

“Why though? I think blood is a lovely color!”

Peri jumped over a Faceless eating the remains of its brother, she brought her lance down the mask and watched it impale the carpet beneath. The black muck sprayed her in the face and coated her armor in its stench.

“I don’t think that’s blood…” Laslow frowned.

“Hey, Laslow! I need a pick me up!”

The male retainer sighed and placed his sword gently against his hip. He slowly twirled in a clockwise circle, a buzzing sensation raced up his arms and projected outwards as a minor aura of light. Peri was surrounded by a blue glow for a second, she hefted her heavy spear over her shoulder and grinned.

“Hey, thanks!” She cheered and charged into a group of Faceless like a battering ram.

“Mother didn’t teach me dancing for this...” Laslow muttered.

A large gray dragon charged through the doors behind him with her horns lowered, dozens of Faceless were impaled upon her antlers as she roared loudly. Water bubbled up from her talons and washed away the tar that dripped from her scales. Laslow stiffened when the dragon turned her head towards him.

“Oh, H-hello Lady Kamui.” He greeted.

“Laslow, where are these Faceless coming from?” Kamui’s usually pleasant voice came out deeper and more garbled than usual.

“Our m-mages lost control. This is just an infestation.”

“I thought Xander ordered for the mages to NOT summon any more of these things?”

“Our mages have been acting strange lately actually.”

Kamui gave what could only be called a hiss, she lowered her head again and swung her tail to create a pile of Faceless. Peri jumped at the chance to leap onto the dog pile and started to repeatedly stab the creatures.

“This is so much easier!” She cheered.

A couple of Nohrian mages slowly staggered towards the princess and the retainers. Their movements were sluggish, the two men in scant clothing limbered about as if I a trance. One of them chanted under his breath and waved his fingers lazily at Kamui. From the pile of ooze, Peri created, dozens more Faceless formed.

“Hey! Xander said Faceless are forbidden!” Kamui yelled.

The mages ignored her demand; they continued to lumber forward without a word. As they got closer Kamui could tell that their eyes were glowing purple, and a very familiar if menacing aura clung to their bare skin.

The mages were possessed.

“Laslow, go get Xander,” Kamui said calmly.

“What?” The dancer asked distractedly, he casually kicked away a Faceless that was trying to eat his leg.

“Now,” Kamui growled.

The dancer quickly disappeared into the throne room in search of his king, Kamui and Peri left to fend for themselves in a swath of Faceless.

“Peri, stay behind me.” Kamui extended a wing to keep the woman safe.

“Why? They aren’t going anywhere.” The energetic woman pointed at the group of ever-growing beasts.

She was right, the Faceless were not trying to bite their limbs or even growling them. The monsters stood stock still as if they were waiting for a compelling force to direct them. The possessed mages finally reached their creations; the two males started chanting louder than before. The aura that clung to them slowly morphed the monsters; their putrid flesh lost visibility and darkened flames emanated from their movements.

“Okay, that’s not good,” Peri mentioned.

Kamui flared open her wings, she lowered the upper half of her body to the ground and started scratching at the carpet with her talons. Pools of water flowed freely from her claws; she lifted her head and roared challengingly at the Faceless. There was no way she was going to fail her family again. She wasn’t going to let this so-called Anakos hurt her Nohrian siblings like he hurt her Hoshidan siblings.

The mages pointed at the dragon with silent fingers in jest, the Faceless charged at her with little regard for each other. Kamui raged into the parade of monstrosities, she felt their slimy fingers scrape at her scales. Her wings batted away the ones who tried to climb on her back, and her antlers impaled dead matter endlessly. Where one Faceless would fall, two more would crawl from the underground with muck dripping from their imaginary mouths.

She could feel the fingers peeling back her scales, the saliva that dripped from the countless masks. She had to keep going, she had to keep fighting. She promised her mother she would stop Anakos and deliver Takumi to the afterlife. She can’t fail now, not after turning her back on Hoshido and making Nohr worse.

SHE COULDN’T STOP.

A blue arrow of light whizzed past her temple and struck true through the mask of a Faceless gnawing at her antler. The monster exploded into a splash of light and tar, and this time no other Faceless formed from its remains.

“Kamui! Get down!” Takumi yelled.

The dragon princess knelt down on her bent front legs; a rain of arrows came down upon the other Faceless. The monsters all exploded in a violent fashion, with the now zombie-like mages staring at her impassively.

The ghost of her little brother landed soundlessly on his feet before her. His Fujin Yumi glowed brightly in his transparent hands.

“I told you, you couldn’t leave me behind again.” He quipped.

“And here I thought you liked spending time with Ryoma.”

“S-shut up.” Takumi jested.

The archer stared ahead towards the Nohrian mages; their staggering forms slowly marched towards him.

“Wow, the Nohrian King’s minions are a lot uglier than I remember.”

“They are possessed.”

“Oh, similar to Azura huh?”

Kamui folded her wings over Takumi and grabbed his collar gently with her strong jaws. The archer looked back at her in surprise, but the dragon turned her head and placed her brother on her back. She folded back her wings so he could sit more comfortably, and his cold legs instinctively tightened around her middle.

“We can’t fight them here.”

“Hey, Lady Kamui! Why are you talking to yourself?” Peri asked.

“I…don't think you would believe me if I told you. Peri.”

“Oh really? Come on it can’t be that bad!”

Kamui’s featureless mask silently implored Takumi for an answer, The archer shrugged his shoulders, and his expression was just as confused as she felt.

“Well, um, I’m being haunted by one of my brothers.”

“Ooooh, you mean one of the Hoshidans?”

Peri’s lance sliced through the belly of a Faceless that tried to grab her. She twisted her body and managed to stab another Faceless in the chest. She brought her arm up to her face and tried to wipe away the sweat and gunk. All it did was make the mess worse with the gunk mixing into her eyeliner down her face.

“You are taking the news very lightly Peri...”

One of the mages fired a ball of fire at the trio, Peri rolled away from the fire but it singed the edge of her skirt. She screamed when she saw the damage and jabbed her lance into the ground. Using her lance as a pole vault, the cavalier launched herself over Kamui and kicked the mage in the side of his face. She repeatedly brought her lance into the mage’s head, no blood spewed from his empty body. The only thing that escaped was the purple mist that controlled him.

“Peri stop!” Kamui ran towards the cavalier and violently jerked her back by her collar. She swung her mighty tail and crushed the other mage, while dodging Peri’s flailing limbs.

“HOW DARE HE SINGE MY SKIRT!” Peri screamed.

“PERI!” Xander and Laslow dashed out of the throne room in alarm.

Xander stopped in his tracks when he saw the corpses of two mages on the floor and Kamui holding Peri in her mouth. The king stared blankly and signaled for Kamui to drop his retainer. The dragon gently placed Peri on the ground and blocked her path with one of her claws.

“Kamui, what’s happened?” He asked.

“Possessed mages summoning Faceless.”

Xander’s brown eyes flickered with recognition. He turned to stare at one of the mage corpses. The man was empty, no blood or guts anywhere to be seen. His vacant eyes stared at the ceiling, a very familiar purple mist falling from his mouth that sent a pang through Xander’s chest.

“Possession. We’ve seen this before...”

“Yes. Back in Hoshido.”

“Prince Takumi,” Xander said stiffly.

The archer on Kamui’s back tightened his grip on her neck; he leaned into her warmth and tried to tune out what he was hearing. Kamui’s scales folded back to let his face bury into her skin. She could feel his panic and his worry rocketing through their shared mental space. She silently coaxed him to relax, the subtle emotion of reassurance doing at least enough to get his fingers to stop gripping so hard.

“I can’t even remember what it felt like.” He mumbled into her neck.

An arc of lightning hit the wall behind Xander and Laslow, the king sharply turned around with his Siegfried raised.

“What the hell was that?!” He yelled.

More mages marched in sync towards the group. Their movements never deviated from each other, and their eyes were just as empty as the corpses on the floor. The front mages summoned more Faceless, and a couple in the back tried to shoot Kamui with dark magic. Xander defended his sister with his own darkness, the Siegfried screamed with the energy that fought back against the magic attacks.

Kamui did her part by deflecting magic with her wings, and Takumi focused on shooting a couple of the back mages with his arrows. His thighs tightened on her torso, Kamui responded by leaning towards the direction he wanted. Takumi raised his bow and fired a focused shot straight through a mage’s skull. He leaned to the right, and Kamui responded with a sharp semi-circle that knocked away the advancing Faceless.

A flutter of purple fabric caught Kamui’s attention; she turned her head in time to see a flash of blue disappear around the corner. Takumi launched another arrow into a mage’s eye, he couldn’t watch as that agonizing mist fell from the orifice. When his sister growled the archer put his hand against the back of her head in question. Kamui didn’t respond, she scratched at the floor and raised her wings high.

“Xander, I need you to follow me.” She said.

“What for?”

“Azura is here.”

Kamui rammed her head through the crowd of Faceless and mages. She spread her wings and launched off of the ground with an enormous gust of wind. Takumi yelped and instinctively wrapped his arms around her neck. His mind raced with multiple questions, but the most common was how were they flying. If Kamui had lips she would’ve smiled, she nuzzled her brother’s face and landed away from the group of enemies.

Xander hid his face behind his armored forearm when Kamui took off. He managed to glance up in time to see her run around the corner.

“Kamui wait!” He yelled after her.

A steel axe came down upon the neck of a stray faceless; Camilla pushed Xander back and used her axe’s blunt side to shield her face from the spray.

“Go after her Xander. I and my ladies will finish this.”

Beruka and Selena rushed to either side of their mistress as commanded. Camilla effortlessly lifted her massive axe on her shoulder and reached for the spell book sitting against her hip.

“As you wish Camilla. Laslow! Peri! To me!” Xander commanded.

Laslow and Peri ran after their lord as he tried to catch up to Kamui. When a mage tried to fire a bolt of lightning at him Camilla responded by throwing her axe. The metal blade sliced through the mage’s neck, his head went flying and smashed against the stones with Camilla’s axe sticking out on the other side.

“Not today dearie.” She cooed.

*****

Leo dodged a shot of fire from a mage to his left, he managed to cast vines over that mage before another one tried to shoot him with ice. He crushed the other mage with a tree sprouting from the ground, its roots smothering the silent mage in its embrace. He saw Prince Ryoma colliding with a pile of Faceless to his right. The ghost was nothing but a blur, his Rajinto was buzzing with electricity at an astounding rate.

Kaze dodged a magic attack from a mage, but he combat rolled right through Ryoma who paused and went completely still. A Faceless came down upon the samurai, but its fist went right through the ghost and into the ground. Ryoma yelled and chopped off the Faceless’s limb, he knocked his knee square in the monsters lower mask and sent it flying.

“Prince Leo, do you know the cause of this?” He asked.

“I don’t really know. But I have a theory.”

Kaze threw a couple shuriken at a mage, he hit his mark and the mage fell into the ever-growing pile of bodies.

“Are you talking to Prince Ryoma?” He asked.

“Of course I am. Can’t you see him Kaze?”

“Not anymore.”

Ryoma dashed between the two men, his sword crackled with energy and made the air around the pair heavy with static. Leo’s hair started to stand on end, he sighed in irritation and casually summoned a branch to strangle a mage and his three Faceless. Kaze back flipped and struck a mage with a poison dart, the mage didn’t stand a chance and collapsed where he stood.

“What’s your theory, Prince Leo?” Ryoma called.

“These mages are possessed,” Leo said thoughtfully.

Ryoma stopped his path of terror; his eyes glittered eerily with question and doubt. They were glowing, a similar glow to what Takumi had when Leo last aggravated him. The fading handprint against his throat was hurting again; Leo shook his head and pushed back the memories of that ghost. He could still see the anger and sorrow emanating from those amber orbs.

“Anakos…” Ryoma grumbled.

“What was that?” Leo called, he cracked his wrist and ignored the cries of the dozen or so Faceless he killed with a tassel of branches.

“Anakos is attacking again. Using your Nohrian minions this time.”

“You mean the god my father worshiped?”

“Apparently the same one.” Ryoma put two fingers against the hilt of his blade and willed the lightning to shock the Faceless surrounding him.

Kaze accidentally ran through Ryoma’s leg as he jogged away from a charging faceless. The former crown prince of Hoshido shuddered, he watched helplessly as his leg dissolved and reformed instantly.

“This is getting better and better.” Leo deadpanned.

******

Takumi looked down at the blurry carpets as they raced by, he held on to Kamui as tightly as he could. He didn’t feel any wind rushing around him; it was going through him like paper. His hair remained static against his back, and his clothing didn’t even flutter in the breeze. He was just a reflection after all; the only thing of him truly left was his memories of what he looked like.

“Takumi? You okay?” Kamui garbled.

Takumi sighed and lazily traced one of his gloved fingers against the spine of her neck. It was so weird, months ago he had felt nothing but hatred for the dragon carrying him. He only expressed fury at her betrayal, biting back the sadness and pain that wanted to escape at every chance. But now? He was gliding through the air on the back of his sister with no problem on letting her lead.

“I’m confused.” He admitted.

“How so?”

He watched his hand disappear into her scales, all he felt was the strongest warmth emanating from her skin. His instincts tell him to hug her, to ask for more of that heat. It was the closest he could get to feeling alive without borrowing her physical form.

“After all the conflict and arguments. Why do I feel so at ease around you?”

The only sound Kamui provided was the subtle shift of her wings.

“I hated you. Despised you. And I know that didn’t all come from Anakos.”

“He amplified your emotions.”

Takumi laid his cheek against her backside; he glanced upwards at the passing ceiling. He hadn’t told Ryoma or Kamui about it, but he still couldn’t see colors as a ghost. The most he ever got was the color that Kamui gave from her life’s energy when they touched.

He didn’t even get to appreciate the scenery that much, all the times he has been physical he was either fighting, sick, or preoccupied. Nohr wasn’t best known for its colors, the most common shade it had was gray. Just lots and lots of black, gray, brown and clay.

“What you feel right now is all you Takumi. And like you said before, you could never truly hate me. All you ever wanted was to get close to me.”

“Yeah.” He said lazily.

Her mind brushed gently against his, they didn’t share thoughts or emotion. But just the sensation released some of the anxiety building in his shoulders.

“When we get a chance, I want to take a walk outside the castle.”

“What for?”

“I can’t see color Kamui. Even you right now are just black and white.”

Kamui landed on the ground with a thump, her wings reached back and embraced the archer like a shield. Her tail wrapped protectively around her legs, and her head drooped. She didn’t say a word; the only sound that she made was her heavy breathing.

“I’ve got something better that you can see.” She replied.

Takumi rolled over on his stomach and let his leg dangle over her side.

“Oh?” He asked curiously.

“I’ll show you later. But first, we need to find Azura.”

Takumi sat up on her back, grasped his Fujin Yumi to his chest and nodded. Kamui launched herself out of a massive window, her wings spread wide, and for the first time in a week Takumi saw the true outside world. Everything he saw was dyed in silver and white; the spindly trees were gray droplets against the dull ground. The sky was a mysterious shade of black even though it was daylight. The sun was a bright ball of white against the dark; he could see the different sunbeams as they parted the clouds.

Kamui’s scales lifted towards the sun for warmth, underneath his fingers they moved slowly but not enough to break his concentration. He looked at his sister; her body was dark silver with her antlers and wings being pure white. Every flap of a wing left a ghostly image, like a left behind portrait that left only the barest of impressions.

“Has Nohr always been this dark?”

“To you maybe. Not only can you see black and white, but also you grew up in the sunlight. I grew up in a cold fortress.”

Takumi sighed and took in a breath, it didn’t fill his chest like he wanted it to. It just passed soundlessly through his lips and left no impression upon his spirit. He was cold, always cold, just a reminder of his true emptiness.

“I hate the cold.” He whispered.

Kamui landed in the castle courtyard, her featureless face turned towards the Dusk Dragon statue that remained imposed over them. Kamui could see the scratch marks she had left on the statue when her talons dug into the surface. Battle scars, permanent reminders of a conflict she didn’t want to relive.

A lone woman stood with her back, she was standing near the edge of the platform where the chains held the stone in the air. Her purple dress clung to her even as a small breeze ruffled her hair. Purple mist no longer clung to her skin, because she had no skin anymore. Her entire body was only partially visible; the only thing Kamui could make out fully was her outline.

Azura turned one eye on Kamui and Takumi, the bright red pupil full of such hatred and loneliness.

Takumi had to rub his eyes with the back of his hand, this was strange, he could see Azura clearly even though she was mostly invisible. But that wasn’t the strangest part.

Surrounded by black and gray, with the entire monochromatic scheme shading the castle from view, Azura stood in purple and red. He saw her colors fully, and she was the brightest thing he could see.

“Hello, Kamui. It’s so nice to see you and Takumi again.” She said icily.

/ I know you hate being cold Takumi. / Kamui whispered in his mind.

The archer’s legs tightened around her middle, and the dragon slowly braced her body against the ground with her tail swinging slowly behind.

/ I do too. / Kamui whispered.

She couldn’t stop her heart from racing as Azura summoned a darkened spear from the water she created.


	23. Chapter 23: Second Clash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Heres chapter 23. Sorry it took so long.

Mikoto nervously paced around the scrying pool with a furious step, her hands tightly tugging at her dress in apprehension. She glanced fervently at the pool, the image of Azura was tainted and hateful, it wasn’t natural for the solitary songstress. The former queen continued her useless circling; this was obviously the work of Anakos. But why would the dragon god send Azura to the Nohrian castle?

She stared through the water at her daughter’s dragon form; even after numerous glances she still couldn’t stop her breath from pausing. Kamui wasn’t nearly as monstrous as Anakos was; she was the size of a mature wyvern at best. But the silver skin and the massive wings were more than enough to prove her true heritage.

Kamui’s wings were wrapped protectively over her brother, and while the sight might have been endearing, it didn’t stop the dragon princess from growling at her former friend.

“Why are you here,” Kamui stated.

“Isn’t it obvious? My master gave me a second chance.”

Azura pointed her spear half-heartedly at the pair of siblings.

“You’ve surprised him Kamui.”

The songstress disappeared in a flash; Kamui violently turned her head around the area. She couldn’t catch a glimpse of her dead friend, but she did hear Azura’s light breathing. The songstress reappeared face to face two inches from Kamui’s muzzle. She was floating in midair with her feet dangling and her spear poking at Kamui’s horn.

“You resist his presence better than anybody I’ve seen.”

A blue arrow shot through Azura, the songstress screamed but she quickly reformed two feet away from Kamui. Takumi leaned further until his chest sat against Kamui’s horns; his Fujin Yumi glowed brighter when he scowled.

“It seems you cause more damage than you know.” Azura’s smile was cold and fake.

“You mean when you lost your arm?” Takumi growled.

Azura ignored the archer, her ruby gaze never left Kamui’s mask. Her smile grew, and the shadows under her eyes increased.

“What a wonderful host you would make.”

Her gaze finally locked on with Takumi’s.

“Two perfect vessels. Master Anakos will be more than pleased to welcome you.”

“Shut up!” Takumi yelled.

He jumped up onto Kamui’s back and shot another arrow, Azura easily knocked it away with her spear. Her movements were no longer graceful or stoic, they were quick and brash as if she had fire under her heels.

“So reckless dear Takumi.” Azura cooed.

An enormous dragon claw came from the left and knocked Azura violently off of the courtyard platform. Water spewed where blood should have been, and Azura tumbled to a stop in midair. Her left side was devolving into a pile of smoke and water; the ex-songstress struggled to her feet and willed her body to reform.

Kamui’s wings flared to their full height, she pawed at the ground with her talons and bellowed a deep growl at her old friend. Takumi desperately grabbed at his sister’s scales to keep him upright on her backside. His amber eyes widened in surprise, he had never seen his older sister behave this way towards Azura.

“You are not Azura,” Kamui growled.

The songstress’s ruby irises narrowed considerably, she used her spear to stand up straight again and grimaced at the dragon.

“How dare you.” She said coldly.

/ Kamui what are you doing?! / Takumi screamed mentally.

/ She’s not my friend. She’s not Azura. /

Azura launched herself at the dragon and parried Kamui’s horns with the tip of her spear. Her strength was unheard of; a skinny undead human girl was able to hold her own against the weight of a giant reptile. The songstress twirled on the back of her heel and dragged her spear up between her legs, the tip grazing Kamui’s snout.

The dragon jumped backward with Takumi struggling to hold onto her neck. Takumi managed to find his grip and launched another arrow at his undead adoptive sister, the woman danced away from his arrow and let its light sink into the ground where she once stood.

“Have you forgotten who did this to me?” Azura sneered.

Kamui’s only answer was a soft snort, and Takumi reluctantly petting her neck scales.

Azura flicked one finger, three more pointed spears formed from the water and smoke dripping from her dress. She disappeared fully, along with the spears leaving Kamui glancing around in fury.

“Where the hell are you!” Kamui screamed.

A spear launched at Kamui from out of nowhere, its tip grazed Kamui’s side but lodged itself beside her.

“You don’t remember dear Kamui? You did this to me.”

Takumi’s legs tightened around Kamui’s torso, he could see Azura floating above them with a spear twirling between her fingers. His sister was searching the area with desperation; Azura launched another spear right at her head. Takumi gasped and grabbed hold of Kamui’s horns, he turned her head forcefully, directed his body to the left and steered his sister like a horse. The spear just barely missed Kamui’s head.

“Pay attention!” Takumi yelled.

Kamui’s wing rose over his head and shielded him from raining spears. Takumi sighed, Azura’s weapons couldn’t exactly hurt him, and she wasn’t even focusing on him right then. But it seemed that the energetic dragon beneath him had forgotten that.

“Kamui, she can’t hurt me.” He mumbled.

“If you think that then you are an idiot.”

“Excuse me?!”

The dragon disappeared into steam and water; Takumi fell from his perch and felt Kamui shrink back into a human woman. Her hands came up and took hold of his Fujin Yumi. The all too familiar tug at his soul made Takumi yell in protest, he tried to wrench his image away but the pull was too strong.

He settled inside of his shared mental space with his sister, surrounded by Kamui’s soul and warmth.

/ YOU NEED TO STOP DOING THAT! / He yelled.

/ She wants to possess you Takumi! / Kamui cried.

A wave of cold stopped the archer from ranting on his sister’s stupidity; her gentle warmth wasn’t enough to calm his nerves as it did before. Possession, a term that constantly came up but he couldn’t recall. Every time someone told him about his time under Anakos’s control, all he did was dwell on the growing void in his memory. Shadows danced behind his eyes when he focused on the dim sensations of cold and wet, they weren’t enough just vague feelings at best. There was just one clear image that remained whenever he thought on the void. One that he kept hidden in the darkest corners of his heart away from his siblings.

Kamui’s blurry face staring down at him with crystalline tears.

/ You don’t think I don’t know that?! /

/ I need to keep you safe! /

Kamui deflected another spear with her Grim Yato; the sword responded happily to its master's intentions and glowed with darkness. Kamui tightened her grip on her sword and knocked away the two spears that attacked her from behind. Her eyes were landlocked; she couldn’t sense where Azura could possibly be.

/ Kamui…/

/ Look, I promised Mother I would help you! I can’t fail now! /

/ I didn’t say you were going to. /

The dragon princess combat rolled away from a third spear, the three weapons floated ominously around her. She could hear Azura’s unsteady breathing but she couldn’t see her anywhere in the vicinity. Takumi’s hesitance brushed over her, he was trying to calm her.

/ I’m not going anywhere Kamui. /

His soul curled around her heart as he liked to do, but there was no possessiveness or fury like before. He was gentle, caring, and tried his best to calm her racing thoughts.

/ We can stop Anakos. That will save Azura right? /

/ I-I don’t know. When I stopped him the first time you kind of died. /

A spear tried to swipe at Kamui from behind, but her ears twitched and her Yato immediately blocked the back of her neck. She ducked her head and let the spear graze the base of her hair. Her leg snapped downwards and brought the spear clattering to the ground, she crushed it with her bare heel and grit her teeth.

“Azura you coward!” She yelled at the sky.

“Miss me already Kamui?”

Azura suddenly appeared out of the corner of Kamui’s eye, she quickly knocked the dragon princess back with a kick and a stab of her spear. Kamui turned her feet into talons and skittered backward from the songstress. She rushed forward with her Yato raised, and Azura met her head on with her spear’s edge. The two former friends clashed with their weapons barely missing the other’s head.

Takumi pulled back the curtain blocking Kamui’s mind from his, their mental thoughts rushed together into one. He could see Azura staring hatefully at his sister, but for a small second, he saw a glitter of gold fight against the red of her irises. Azura’s brow creased, and her lips softened. Her expression turned slightly inward, and contemplative.

Takumi forced himself out of his Fujin Yumi, as his hands formed he grabbed ahold of his weapon from where Kamui left it on the ground. He quickly reformed his legs and knelt behind Azura with an arrow ready to fire. Kamui’s mind was in panic mode, a mixture of anger and surprise pulsed behind Takumi’s eyes.

/ I’ll get her. / He whispered in her mind.

Kamui’s eyes flickered briefly to meet her brother’s; she didn’t respond but pushed back against Azura. Her taloned foot came up and hit the songstress square in the chest. Azura went tumbling across the courtyard and hit the base of the Dusk Dragon statue.

Takumi let go of the arrow, it hit Azura in the chest but the effect he hoped for did not come to pass. Azura grimaced; she grabbed onto the base of the arrow and forcefully pulled it from her breastbone. The sacred light shattered into dozens of shards, while the songstress stumbled to her feet. She threw her spear at Takumi, the archer didn’t bother dodging, it clattered to the ground after passing harmlessly through his soul.

“You are getting reckless Azura.” He taunted.

“Enough!” Azura crossed her arms above her head.

Smoke snaked up around Kamui’s legs; the dragon princess felt the purple miasma cling at her skin through her tights. The deep rumbling of a dragon resounded inside of her head, but it wasn’t a deafening roar like before. The dragon was curious; he was observing her and what she could do. The smoke tightened until Kamui’s legs were forced together in a bind.

Her arms were bound to her sides, the smoke crushed against her ribs until she could only gasp. Her Yato fell from her limp fingers and clanged uselessly beside her, the darkness that had gleefully poured forward disappeared. Her heart pounded in her chest, she couldn’t move. The dragon in her head practically purred challengingly, he was daring her to make a move.

Takumi shot another arrow through Azura while she was distracted. The smoke around Kamui didn’t dissipate but the songstress still screamed in pain. Kamui gasped out in pain as the smoke tightened around her torso. Azura wrenched the second arrow from inside her arm; she grasped the end of her spear and shoved Takumi into the base of the statue.

Takumi phased through the statue, his image reformed under the statue in the tunnel that Kamui went through before. He felt no pain or sensation as his back fell against the brick, there was no feedback that would have told him he had been hit. The archer scowled and launched himself out of the stone, his fist made contact with Azura’s face on the other side.

The songstress swiped her spear through his hand, but the archer tackled her from the stone and knocked her weapon away. The pair went rolling away from Kamui before Azura kicked Takumi off of her and knocked his Fujin Yumi out of his hands. The archer tried to reach for his weapon, but his adoptive sister was too fast. She disappeared from his view and reappeared in front of him with her spear lodged in his torso.

Sharp pain rocketed through his chest, Takumi tried to gasp but the air just passed through his mouth with no intake. How was this possible? He was dead! There shouldn’t be a 3-foot spear of darkness lodged in his chest. He slowly stared down at where the ebony wood met where his sternum should be, he could literally see through his own clothing.

“It’s time that you fulfilled your purpose,” Azura said calmly.

Her face was two inches away from Takumi’s he could see the flickering gold fighting back against the red in her eyes. What little skin she still had was pale with a violet undertone as dark as her new dress. Azura left the spear in his torso and slowly circled him. Takumi couldn’t move, his soul was tied to the ground, and he could feel the exhaustion creeping up on him. Kamui’s mind was racing through his in panic, she wasn’t making any coherent sentences just a jumble of emotion.

It wasn’t like Takumi had the strength to mentally reply to her anyways, his awareness was bleeding out of him and sinking into the ground.

“Embrace the dark you call a home.” Azura’s voice wavered in a delicate timbre.

Kamui’s ears twitched, she knew this song and what it did. This was the song that Azura had died singing! She could feel the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, echoes of her friend’s soft tones filled her ears. How dare a disgusting facsimile shame that song with its voice!

“Gaze upon an empty white throne.” Azura put a hand to her chest, the shadows under her eyes deepened as her voice climbed in tone.

Kamui snarled, her fingers dug into her tights as she tried to twist her body away from the miasma. It was an iron grip; she couldn’t move any significant part of her body. She heard the deep rumble give a satisfied snort, he was enjoying watching her struggle. She glanced desperately at her baby brother; Takumi was helplessly staring up at Azura with widened eyes. Azura was beginning to dance around him in a wide circle.

/ Takumi! Your bow! / Kamui yelled.

Takumi didn’t reply, and the link between their minds was weakening, the only thing she could feel from him was his confusion and exhaustion.

/ TAKUMI! GET TO YOUR BOW! / Kamui pleaded.

“A legacy of lies.” Azura continued to sing.

Kamui bit deeply into her lip, she forced all of her strength into her arm and roared with ferocity. Her arm turned into a fully formed dragon limb, the enlarged scales bit back against the miasma and launched upwards. The pain was intense; the miasma was crushing her bones and the dragon she knew was Anakos growled in fury.

Her legs were heavy as lead, but she forced one limb to stagger forward. She could see Takumi’s bow lying only 2 feet from her, and Azura was too preoccupied to care about her. The dragon princess fell to her knees; the miasma clawed uselessly at her skin and threatened to rip the breath from her lungs. She could feel blood leaking from her broken lip, but she forced her knees to dig into the stone. Her dragon claw dragged her weakening body across the ground; the Fujin Yumi glittered in the dim light just in reach.

Azura’s head sharply turned towards Kamui, the songstress flicked her wrist and the miasma surrounding Kamui doubled in pressure.

Kamui yelled helplessly, it was like a thousand hot knives were digging into her skin. Her dragon arm fell against the stone, and her body began to twitch from the strain and damage. She couldn’t focus, she couldn’t think, and the link between her and Takumi was close to snapping.

/ Kamui…. / Takumi called weakly.

“A familiar disguise.” Azura’s chords climbed higher, the accursed miasma that accompanied her form surrounded Takumi in its grasp.

“TAKUMI!” Kamui yelled furiously, tears spilled forth from her eyes like beads of glass.

/ Kamui. Calm yourself. / Mikoto’s serene voice surrounded her daughter in a bright spot of warmth.

Kamui paused in her fury, she could clearly see her mother staring down at her, separated by what could only be called a barrier of water. Mikoto’s eyes were stern, and her lip was pursed in restraint. The dragon princess darted her gaze towards her baby brother, Takumi was shuddering and struggling for breath as the miasma climbed higher over his torso. Azura had ceased her dancing and was standing over him with her arms spread, she was vocalizing without actually singing.

/ Mother! It’s Takumi! He- /

/ I know. /

Anakos’s voice roared with pure anger inside of Kamui’s mind, Mikoto hummed in sorrow before her presence was the only thing Kamui could feel. Her warmth and her serenity erased Anakos from her mind, and the miasma binding Kamui froze. Mikoto stared at Azura through her scrying pool; she shook her head in sorrow and stroked one finger across the image. The water pulled longingly at her fingertips, but she ignored the sensation and focused on directing her daughter.

/ You need to stop her from completing that verse. /

/ How?! I can’t move! /

/ You can’t attack her physically Sweetheart, she will only get back up again. /

Kamui dug her chin into the stone and clenched with her talons as hard as she could. The ground started to crack from the strain, using that leverage she grunted and shot her arm outwards. The delicate touch of wood and warmth met hers, the link between her and Takumi rebounded back into her skull. She wormed her arm back to her side; the Fujin Yumi glittered in her claws with pearlescent feathers decorating the scales. Kamui laughed out in relief, she focused on the bow and reached through her link towards Takumi.

/ Takumi! I’ve got your bow! /

Takumi’s head shot up, his pupils were dilated, and shadows were starting to grow on the edges of his grey cheeks. His eyes met the view of the Fujin Yumi in his sister’s grasp; with a sob of relief the archer disappeared into the safety of the void. The force of his emotions knocked Kamui over onto her side. Takumi gladly nestled beside her heart, his exhaustion and fear fed on what little strength she had left.

/ S-sister. / Takumi whispered.

/ Takumi, my son, are you alright? /

/ M-mother? /

Azura angrily jabbed her spear at Kamui’s paralyzed form, still unable to stand the dragon princess could only roll away. Azura’s face was extraordinarily calm for failing to possess Takumi again. She slowly approached Kamui with little urgency in her step. Her mostly invisible form flickered between purple miasma, skin, and water that trailed after her.

/ Kamui, you need to run away. / Mikoto chimed.

/ What? Why? /

/ Takumi isn’t in the best condition to fight, and you are having difficulties on your own. /

/ I can fight just fine! / Takumi protested.

Mikoto hummed knowingly, her own despair and fear were hidden deeply beneath her calm demeanor. Kamui’s ears twitched, she heard the hitch in her mother’s voice and sighed. She couldn’t risk getting hurt, and she couldn’t risk Takumi falling into Azura’s hands. She was much stronger than their last encounter, there was no way she would be able to defeat Azura herself even with her ability to dispel Anakos’s influence.

/ Kamui, can you reach your dragonstone? /

Kamui slowly reached for her dragonstone, she combat rolled away from Azura again with her brother’s yumi clenched tightly in her one free hand. The dragonstone shone brightly in response to her plight, and quickly she turned back into a silver scaled dragon. She clenched Takumi’s Fujin Yumi in her jowls and immediately let her wings take her into the air. Azura swiped at her side, and the spear caught Kamui’s torso, but it only scratched the surface as the songstress was knocked back by the sudden updraft.

/ Is there anywhere safe that you can go? / Mikoto asked.

/ Maybe Xander or Ryoma could help. /

/ No. Kamui you need to find someplace where Azura can’t find you. /

A pang of anger shot through Kamui’s heart, the Fujin Yumi grew warmer in her mouth but Takumi didn’t reform. His spirit curled tighter around her heart, but it was more out of despair than pure hatred. His anger petered out after a moment; his spirit grew soft and tired surrounded by Kamui’s warmth.

/ We can stop her if we work together. / Takumi whispered.

/ Takumi, you are exhausted. /

/ Oh yeah? And you are bleeding. /

Just like Takumi said, Kamui could feel a decently size dribble of blood make its way down her front leg. She turned her muzzle, there was a gash about 4 inches wide and 3 inches deep in her side, Azura’s spear had done more than just scratch her it seemed. The dragon tried to favor the other side of her body to prevent making the wound worse. Takumi’s anger flared again, this time his anger was directed purely at his adoptive sister that threw her spear into the air.

/ Kamui! / Takumi surged forward with the intention to wield his bow.

The floodgates flew open, and Takumi’s mind overpowered Kamui’s in his urge to save both of their skins. His soul poured from his weapon, but he didn’t take shape outside of the void. He grew heavier, a sudden pang hit his left side, gravity suddenly worked against him and he felt extra limbs extend from his shoulder blades.

/ Takumi wait! / Kamui called.

Takumi’s vision was blurry, he didn’t even have actual eyes to blink or squint. He turned his head around in confusion; he was upside down, in midair. The archer instinctively let out a scream, but instead of his own medium tones what poured from his mouth was the guttural roar of a dragon. Kamui’s spirit was falling beside him, and she wasn’t in dragon form anymore. Her all too human eyes were wide and glittering with worry.

Takumi possessed her dragon body.

“Pull up!” Kamui instructed.

Takumi tried to direct the dragon’s wings, but his mind was frenzied with racing thoughts and building anxiety. The wings on the back furled open, but the archer couldn’t focus enough to straighten the body. Kamui flew closer towards her own body and put her translucent fingers against the skull. 

“Just let the dragon follow its instincts. Pull up.” She said.

Takumi turned his attention towards Kamui’s cold touching the dragon’s skin. He mentally reached out towards her and was rewarded with their minds melding together again. The archer sharpened his focus and felt for the innate instincts that dwelled beneath the reptile’s hide. The body automatically curled its talons into its torso, and the jaws hunkered down upon the Fujin Yumi. Takumi’s mind took a back seat; he felt the dragon control everything that happened with no free input of his own. The dragon fell another story before the wings caught an updraft, and the massive reptile launched itself back into the air with an arc.

Kamui’s mind gently pushed against Takumi’s and the archer easily slipped back into the safety of his divine weapon. Kamui dodged another one of Azura’s spear; she circled once and then dove down towards the bottom levels of the castle. The darkness embraced her as it always did; the shadows swallowed her whole until she found an open cavern and dove into it.

She transformed from her dragon form and collapsed against the stones in the tunnel. The wound stung worse in human form; she could already feel the blood staining her tunic from between her fingers. Her free hand still held onto the Fujin Yumi, she sighed and brought it closer to her beating heart.

/ What the heck was that. / Takumi huffed.

/ You panicked and took hold of my body. /

/ Besides that. /

Kamui stumbled down the tunnel, her ears twitched with the sound of the water nearby. She took a turn and tried to let her eyes adjust to the shadowy stones surrounding her.

/ Kamui. / Mikoto’s warmth returned with a fresh breeze flowing through Kamui’s skin.

“I can’t leave now Mother. My siblings need me.”

A spear whizzed past Kamui’s head, it shaved a half-inch off of her short curls and landed on the wall adjacent to her. Kamui turned around in time to see Azura running after her with a group of Invaders surrounding her.

“Shit.” Kamui cursed under her breath.

She lifted her hand and called for the Grim Yato, the weapon appeared in its master's grip with a tinge of glee ringing in its metal. The burning sensation had slowly turned into a pleasant hum of energy. Was the Yato actually accepting her again?

“You can’t run from me Kamui.” Azura stood two feet away in the all too familiar stance with her spear in her hands and her legs bent.

An Invader disappeared from Kamui’s point of view and clashed with her sword before it could strike her neck. It’s axe ground against the Yato with a sickening screech, Kamui’s energy was too spent to fight off a simple Invader. Another Invader rushed to attack her side, but she knocked the warrior into the water with a transformed dragon arm. Her feet skidded against the concrete, and her wound stung as more blood streamed from the cut.

Kamui shook her head; she had to get Takumi somewhere safe. Azura was clearly after her brother, and she couldn’t risk his wellbeing.

She turned heel and ran deeper into the darkness with Azura quickly following suit.

“Lilith!” Kamui yelled.

Her dragonstone grew bright, the small stone turned into a prism of shining colors that lit up the entire tunnel. Bubbles and shards of light exploded outward from the stone and formed into a swirling vortex of blue in front of the dragon princess. The vortex grew until it opened up into a worldview of a bright blue sky. Kamui dove head first into the vortex with the Fujin Yumi and Grim Yato clenched in both of her hands.

Azura plunged for Kamui, but a flickering shadow stopped her with its teeth bared. A see through water dragon perched on an orb blocked her way, her eyes were pupil-less and her scales glowed like a dying ember. The sea dragon drew a breath and shot the songstress back with a fireball to the chest. Kamui disappeared into the blue sky with the sea dragon following suit.

“Damn it.” Azura scowled and turned towards her Invaders.

“Find her siblings. That will bring her out of hiding.” She commanded.

Shards glittered on the ground where Kamui had stood. Azura's foot stomped upon the colorful aura, her purple aura overtook the colors and drowned them in darkness. 

Her eyes turned golden for a second, her brow crinkled in concern, and her lips turned inward. 

Nobody could help her now.


	24. Chapter 24: Azura’s Plea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is formatted a bit weirdly. I tried to fix it but my computer keeps indenting my paragraphs for some reason. I did my best to fix it. ;_; How embarrassing.

Leo grunted as he tossed another Intruder over his shoulder with his vines. The desolate corpse’s necrotizing form melted into water at his feet.

“How disgusting.” He huffed.

The miasma gathered around the base of his greaves, the prince sighed and stepped through the muck with reluctance. To his left, Kaze was expertly dodging Invaders with little sweat. And to his right, Ryoma was unaffected by his own enemies, their swords went right through his torso. Ryoma kicked an Intruder in the chest and sent it flying into its brethren.

“Azura must be here if these enemies are back.” Ryoma reasoned.

“What exactly are these things?” Leo sighed.

“Anakos’s minions!” Ryoma called, his Rajinto set off an arc of lightning that spread between his pursuers. 7 Invaders collapsed to the floor, with the ghostly samurai unscathed in the middle.

“Again with this Anakos person.”

Kaze cartwheeled from a sword slash, and his body went through Ryoma’s spirit without a second glance. The former prince of Hoshido stiffened, he shuddered before stepping away from the ninja.

“Kaze, can you please avoid going through me?”

The ninja didn’t respond, he tossed a shuriken that went through a Nohrian mage’s eye. The mage screamed, his hands clawing at his face before a giant vine sprang up and crushed him.

“Kaze, can you not see Prince Ryoma?” Leo called.

“No. His image keeps fading.” The ninja shook his head in dismay. He lodged another shuriken into a wayward Faceless that tried to bite his face off.

“Oh for the love of gods.” Leo tried his best to keep his eyes from rolling skywards. He heard Ryoma give a grunt, his gaze falling in time to see Kaze’s foot go through Ryoma’s.

The Nohrian prince flipped his Brynhildr to a new page and lifted an Invader off of the ninja with his magic. The ninja responded with a kunai stabbing through the Invader’s head. Kaze flipped backward when the enemy exploded into water. His entire form went through Ryoma’s torso, the samurai stiffening and his eyes blowing wide open with shock.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere.” Ryoma didn’t even bother when a mage shot a bolt of lightning through his stomach.

He turned his head towards the possessed man.

“You do realize that I’m dead correct?”

The mage grumbled, he was none the wiser when Ryoma’s katana sliced him in half.

“Leo!”

A blast of dark energy and a mighty axe came crashing down around the Nohrian prince. A gentle hand pushed him behind a pair of what appeared to be looming shadows. A shock of magic seared the carpet and destroyed the hoard of Faceless that were marching towards him.

“Are you alright Little Brother?” Camilla asked.

“I’m fine Sister.”

Camilla smiled and gently placed her hand on Leo’s shoulder. She gave a reassuring squeeze before glancing over at Ryoma.

“I suppose Kamui was right…”

Ryoma was staring at them, his expression was stony but it wasn’t the glare that made a ball drop into Leo’s stomach. He followed the samurai’s gray gaze, to the Nohrian King who stood protectively in front of his siblings.

“Xander? I thought you went after Kamui?”

“I couldn’t find her,” Xander said calmly.

Ryoma slowly approached the siblings, his katana stabbed through an Invader’s face when it tried to grab him. His gaze never left Xander’s back, but he was calm so unlike the powerful turbulence that Takumi could become. Ryoma cleared his throat, Camilla and Leo turned to look at him.

“He can’t see me.” He stated.

Leo shook his head. Xander lifted his Siegfried and pointed it daringly at the mass of Faceless on the opposite side of the hall.

“I thought I told them no more Faceless!” He yelled as a dark blast of energy ricocheted from his sword’s hilt. The fire it produced enveloped the entire hoard of Faceless and turned them into ash.

“Leo, did you see Kamui come through here?”

“No.”

Camilla kicked an Invader with her heel and crushed it into the wall next to the siblings. She smiled sweetly with her hands gripping at its foul throat.

“Not today dearie.” She cooed, followed by a loud snap from the Invader’s neck.

“Remind me to never get on your sister's bad side,” Ryoma whispered to Leo.

“It’s much worse when you face the end of her axe.” The younger prince said with a roll of his shoulders. The magic inside of his body was losing its strength; he couldn’t keep this fight up for much longer.

“Kamui was in her dragon form yes? She’s probably outside.” Camilla suggested.

“Fire!”

A rather large fireball came from the left of the Nohrian siblings’ position. A couple of Invaders and Nohrian mages were caught up in the fire. When the magic flames disappeared there was nothing left but a pile of steaming ash and water. Xander glanced around for the unknown source of magic, his brow wrinkled in concern.

“Elise?” He called.

The youngest Nohrian princess quickly ran towards her siblings from the front double doors. Her retainers Effie and Arthur closing in behind her as they batted away the Faceless that tried to eat her. Elise was clutching a Fire tome in her little hands, her staff was securely tied to her dress’s belt.

“How dare you guys leave me behind!” She stomped her foot.

“Elise, sweetheart, we didn’t expect this attack to happen,” Camilla said calmly.

The Nohrian princess glared menacingly up at her big sister. She put her hands on her hips and huffed.

“Someone could have still come and got me.”

Elise turned and stared up at Ryoma. The older samurai warrior stared down at her impassively, but in his calm gaze she could see a minor glow. A glow similar to what happened to Takumi when Leo had threatened to separate him from Kamui a week earlier. The samurai affixed his gaze over her head again. Elise swallowed and followed where his glare landed. Ryoma was staring directly at Xander’s backside, a tiny frown tugging at his lips.

“We need to find Kamui,” Xander said slowly.

“Why? I’m sure she’s fine.” Elise asked.

“These THINGS are after her,” Camilla concluded.

Camilla picked up her axe from where it landed and put her two fingers to her lips. She gave a low whistle, and her zombie wyvern flew through an open window before landing at her feet. It gave a welcoming chortle; she stroked the underside of its chin and took her place on its back.

“Leo. Climb on.” She instructed.

“What? Why me?”

“You can track Kamui’s magic. Now get on!”

Leo looked imploringly at his older brother, but the Nohrian King shook his head and motioned for him to follow Camilla. Leo sighed and slowly climbed onto the back of Camilla’s wyvern. He wrapped his arms around his sister’s middle and kept his Brynhildr in between his legs. His cheeks were aflame, but he grumbled and kept his head buried against Camilla’s neck.

Camilla patted her little brother’s head but didn’t comment on his embarrassment.

“Elise, are you going to be okay?”

“I’m fine!” Elise said firmly.

To prove her point, the youngest princess raised her fingers and charred an Invader that was 2 feet away from her face. The monster flew backward and landed on the floor before dissolving into water. Arthur tossed a Faceless with his own brand of flourish and Effie blocked an incoming thunderbolt from a mage. She tossed her Javelin at the mage and watched it impale him into the wall behind him.

“That’s what you get for going after my lady.” She said gruffly.

“This is for Lady Elise!” Arthur cheered.

Elise waved her hand towards her retainers with a smile.

“See?” She said happily.

Leo reluctantly looked over at Ryoma.

“Are you coming?”

Before the samurai could respond, Xander looked back at his brother and shook his head. He brandished his Siegfried protectively in front of his chest with the edge pointed at the Invaders.

“No. I’ll protect Elise. You two need to find Kamui.”

Ryoma’s gray eyes glittered in the dim light. Leo swallowed back the bile that threatened to creep forward. Ryoma breathed calmly through his nose, his eyes glowed eerily and the samurai didn’t move. He looked down at Elise and then back up at Xander’s back.

“You better protect your sister.” He said out loud.

He guided his Rajinto to his hip right as Camilla lifted into the air with Leo in tow. The samurai nodded mutely up at Camilla and ran after her when she flew out the window. Niles and Odin reacted to their master’s retreat and ran after the wyvern. A blast of cold air passed by Xander as his undead counterpart disappeared. The Nohrian King frowned and turned around in confusion.

Elise watched the samurai’s coattails disappear around the corner. She smiled and generated another fireball in her free hand.

“Ready Big Brother?” She asked.

Xander was looking over her head towards where Ryoma had left. The Nohrian King’s eyes darkened in concern.

“That breeze I just felt…it wasn’t natural.”

“Big Brother?”

“Elise, did you hear a voice just now?”

Elise kept her face placid with an uncertain smile, but in her head, she knew exactly whom Xander was talking about. Out of all his siblings, the King was the only one with no magical potential. Biting the inside of her cheek, the healer rocked back on her heels and played dumb.

“No. What did it say Xander?”

“It said that I need to protect you.”

Elise’s smile wavered. She tossed a fireball at an incoming Faceless.

“What did it sound like?” She asked.

Xander put his hand in front of his little sister and shot a beam of darkness at a hoard of Faceless ganging up on them. He slammed his sword into the ground and stood stalwartly in front of Elise.

“Prince Ryoma.” His tone of voice was different, almost light with a tint of amusement.

The Nohrian King gently lifted the hilt of his blade and brought his sword to the tip of his nose. He glared challengingly at the mages and Invaders standing before him. Elise and her retainers stood behind him and to the side with a mass of Faceless anxiously waiting to bite their faces off.

“To think I would hear his voice again so soon.” Xander laughed.

*******

“Can you sense her?” Camilla asked. Her wyvern flew over the tallest tower of Castle Krakenburg for a better vantage point. Leo shook his head in dismay but his eyes remained closed.

“She was here. Along with Prince Takumi.”

“Well, where did they go?”

“I don’t know. Her magical signature just vanishes.”

“Lord Leo!”

The Nohrian prince clenched his hands around his sister’s middle; he glanced down towards the courtyard. Niles was on his horse with Odin sitting behind him. The sorcerer was staring up at him waving his hands wildly. Leo clenched his thighs around Camilla’s wyvern.

“I’ll take you back down,” Camilla said softly.

The lilac haired princess gently guided her wyvern back to the ground. With a flurry of its wings, the wyvern landed and Leo quickly stumbled off of its back. He lost his footing, only for Niles to catch him by his shoulders.

“Whoa, there my little lord.” He sneered.

“Were you riding your horse through the castle again?”

“We had to find you, milord!” Odin screeched, his foot got tangled in the reins.

A dark laugh slowly surrounded the group of Nohrians, it had no source but the voice was clear as day. Leo quickly gathered the remains of his magic and backed towards the middle of the group. Camilla noticed her brother’s stiff behavior and put a hand around his shoulders. She stared out suspiciously at the courtyard, the sun was starting to set, the dark stones overhead absorbing any sunlight that dared to shine. Odin’s face darkened, his head darted around furiously in a failing effort to find the person who was laughing.

“Why have you all gone stiff?” Niles jeered.

Odin fished out the tome at his hip and flipped to his favorite spell. A spark gathered in his palm and slowly lit up the area. The sun continued to sink lower, the Dusk Dragon statue above their heads started to shift in the darkness. It's onyx scales absorbed all of the shadows around it, twisting its imposing figure into a distorted reflection of itself. The laughter continued to surround the group, and all but Niles was frozen stiff in confusion or fear.

“Seriously. You guys are scared of a little laughter?” Niles teased.

Odin sighed heavily through his nose and slammed his tome shut. He shoved the hand holding the spark up against Niles’s face. His chest pushed against the taller males, and he glared.

“This isn’t a time to be making jokes you idiot.” His voice rumbled slowly.

The sound of light footsteps trailed behind the group. Niles’s ear perked he quickly reached for his bow and aimed it at the darkness. Odin sighed again and shoved the bandit’s arms downwards.

“It’s Kaze.” He said calmly.

Just as he predicted, the green haired ninja darted into the limited light. He bent down on one knee mostly out of habit before staring up at everyone.

“Why were you following us Kaze?” Leo asked.

“You are trying to find Lady Kamui. I need to find her too.” He said simply.

“What about Jakob?” Camilla put a finger to her chin in thought.

“Last time I checked he was back in our base.” Kaze straightened his back and dusted himself off.

Another bout of laughter surrounded the group, but this time it was sadder and softer than before. Kaze stiffened; he frowned and gazed forlornly into the darkness.

“Lady Azura?” He whispered.

A spear was launched from the darkness; it went over Kaze’s head and landed right in between Niles’s legs.

“Well, this is certainly not how I expected the night to go,” Niles said sarcastically.

“Lady Azura. Are you there?” Kaze called.

From the darkness, a flickering mass of blue hair and purple fabric emerged. Azura’s eyes were shifting from bright red to dull gold; she stumbled forwards but caught herself by leaning heavily on her spear. She was panting and flinched in pain when the miasma dug at her heels. Water dripped from the base of her long hair and silently flowed between her toes.

“Kaze.” A flicker of recognition passed over her dull eyes.

A ghost of a sad smile passed over her pallid lips. The former princess licked her lips and staggered forward.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered.

Azura’s eyes turned red, her frown remained but she threw her spear right at Kaze. The ninja ducked underneath the weapon and grabbed it by the shaft. He twirled it around and threw it back at Azura. The songstress didn’t move, she let the spear pass through her body. Her torso turned into water before she reformed without a scratch.

“I’m warning you now Kaze. You can’t defeat me.” Azura said softly.

A rapid slice went through Azura’s side, she didn’t flinch but her eyes furiously glared at the intruder. Ryoma landed near where she stood with his Rajinto raised and his irises glittering dangerously.

“Then maybe I can.” He stated.

“Big Brother Ryoma.” Azura smiled gently, she raised her spare hand and summoned a dark spear.

The songstress pointed her spear at her adoptive brother and took a step forward. Her purple dress fluttered around her legs delicately, and her smile never faded. She stepped closer to Ryoma and stood up on her tiptoes. Their noses brushed, Ryoma’s eyes narrowed, and Azura tilted her head.

“You have already lost,” Azura whispered.

A massive army of Invaders and Faceless sprouted from the ground and from the water at Azura’s feet. Ryoma raised his divine katana and sliced through Azura’s form. The songstress disappeared from around his blade and reappeared balancing on its sharp side. She flipped off of the katana as Ryoma quickly spun his weapon around. She cartwheeled away from his strikes with her army standing ready behind her.

“I failed to get Kamui and Takumi. But I can still take out all of you.”

Camilla’s smile widened, she reached for her spell book at her waist and sauntered to stand next to Ryoma. Her teeth glittered maliciously in the failing light. She raised her palm in a challenging manner; the scent of heavy magic surrounded the group of Nohrians and two Hoshidans.

“If you think I’m letting you near my family. Then I implore you to think again.” She said happily.

“Protective are you?” Ryoma asked with a raise of his Rajinto.

“But of course. My precious baby siblings don’t deserve pain.”

“That’s something we can agree on.” Ryoma nodded.

Azura slowly raised a pointed finger at the pair, and at her signal, all hell broke loose. The Invaders were faster than the last time Camilla had faced them, two that appeared to be samurai charged her at the same time. She blocked one of them with her gauntlet and kicked the other away with her heel. Snapping her fingers, the two samurais burst into flames.

“Well, they are certainly faster.” She commented.

Ryoma was surrounded by undead ninja, he grunted in irritation and projected the lightning from his Rajinto. The lightning cascaded off of the Invaders surrounding him and arced back towards the ones going after the others. Odin was launching fireball after fireball when one of his targets was struck down by lightning he paused. His eyes frantically searched the battlefield but he didn’t see Camilla or Leo casting lightning magic.

“Where did that storm come from?” He called.

“Perhaps the gods are angry.” Niles jeered.

“Not funny Niles.” Odin scowled and launched a fireball at a charging Faceless.

The Faceless exploded into slime and miasma, some of its insides smeared against the concrete while other pieces flew elsewhere. One of its eyes rolled underneath Leo’s boot and made a horrible squishing sound when he stepped on it. The Nohrian prince glared at the mess in disgust and snapped his fingers together. The dozen or so Faceless that were crowding him exploded in various vines and plants. He wiped his gloved hand across his forehead and ignored the smell of rotten flesh.

Niles and Odin slowly made their way to their master, with the thief effortlessly shooting down Invaders and the sorcerer casting fireballs. The two men flanked their prince on either side and braced themselves. An Invader riding a wyvern dive-bombed from above, its axe coming down two inches from Leo’s face. The figure disappeared from view only for its face to push into Leo’s. The Nohrian prince balked and pierced through the Invader with a sharp branch. The summoned shrub ran through the Invader’s chest and slammed it into the Dusk Dragon statue. Leo grunted and swiped his fingers through his bangs.

“These things are getting annoying.” He said stiffly.

Niles barely managed to parry an incoming Invader with his bow lodged against its sword. He twisted his body to the left and let his leg come flying up into the Invader’s jaw. The Invader fell over the edge of the courtyard, and Niles picked up the sword that it left behind.

“Well, this would be useful if I knew how to use it properly.”

“Give me that!” Odin barked.

The sorcerer took the sword from his fellow retainer and tossed his spell book over his shoulder. He positioned his body into a natural fighting stance and stood challengingly between Leo and the group of Invaders marching towards them.

“They think they’re fast? I’ll show them!” He growled.

“Oh my, Odin you are just full of tricks!” Niles teased.

The sorcerer didn’t answer; he quickly matched the speed of a charging Invader and clashed his sword against theirs. Metal grated against metal, with Odin gnashing his teeth at the drastic increase in the Invader’s strength. He huffed a quick breath and pushed back. Leo watched his retainer with a pleasantly surprised lift of his brow. He thrust his free hand forward and trapped 5 Invaders in a tangle of vines. Niles chortled as he shot each one through the eye with an arrow. All the while Odin was chopping off limbs and stabbing heads left and right.

“Looks like he’s more gifted with a sword than magic,” Leo observed.

In front of him, Odin continued to dart about with an unusual display of skill. It was as if he was born to wield a sword instead of the spells he failed to cast half the time. Leo shook his head and focused forwards where Camilla and Ryoma held the lead defense.

Camilla fired a large fireball between her and an incoming Faceless, the oozing creature exploded into a fiery mess. She feigned disgust and stepped over the mess, making sure to drag her heel in the ooze. She flicked her hair away from her face and rammed her stiletto heel into an Invader. Tilting her body forward, the Nohrian princess placed her hands against the ground and heaved. Her leg managed to lift the Invader off of the ground, and she swung it behind her with her muscles clenched. The Invader was twisted in a semi circle, knocking back a good 6 Invaders in the process. Half invisible bodies went flying before Camilla stomped the Invader on her heel into the ground. She pressed her boot against its skull, and a devastating crack echoed through the crowded courtyard.

“How you holding up Prince Ryoma?” She called over her shoulder.

The samurai in question let his enemies stab through him, he shrugged off their pointless attacks and effortlessly sliced through them.

“Fairing better than you Princess Camilla.” He replied.

A menacing spear grazed past Ryoma’s left ear, he dodged its strike but it was quickly followed up by a kick to his abdomen. The samurai grunted and skidded back on his armored feet. Azura twirled her spear as she always did and assumed her usual fighting stance.

“Then how about facing me Ryoma?” She asked.

Ryoma frowned, he faltered before standing stiffly and clearing his throat. His eyes were soft with sorrow, but his jaw was hard and set in stone. He lowered his blade and reluctantly resumed his fighting stance.

“I don’t want to hurt you Azura.”

“I know.”

Azura’s eyes flickered back to gold. She lowered her spear and stared up at Ryoma imploringly.

“Please Ryoma. Finish me.” She whispered.

Azura resumed her own fighting stance; her own frown was heavy against her pale face. Her golden irises remained locked on her adoptive brother, even as her image flickered from the purple fog that clawed at her.

“I can only hold him back for so long.” She warned.

Ryoma took a step forward, but Azura forced him back with a swipe of her spear.

“No! You need to finish me!” She ordered.

Azura turned to Camilla; she pointed her spear at the Nohrian princess with a half hearted glare.

“Perhaps you could do it, Princess Camilla.” She said softly.

“What? No! I can’t end your life!” Camilla put a hand against her chest in shock.

Azura threw her spear at the Nohrian princess; the woman blocked it with the edge of her axe and scowled. She felt the spear fall lazily to the ground before kicking it away.

“Are you a hypocrite Princess Camilla?” Azura tilted her head.

Camilla shook her head, appalled at the songstress’s innocent question.

“You easily tear through your enemies. And I was raised in Hoshido. How am I no different?”

The lilac haired princess bit her lip. She bent down and gently picked up the spear where it lay. Azura watched the Nohrian princess cautiously; amazingly her golden eyes never flickered back to red. It was that soft expression that brought a murky memory to Camilla’s foresight.

********

She could see a tiny girl with blue hair sitting in the corner. Her white dress was too big for her body, and she was holding a mysterious pendant to her chest. She was on her knees; the skin was rubbed raw and scabby. Her golden eyes were full of tears, her tiny shoulders shaking. Camilla was younger; she was staring at the younger girl with curiosity. Her mother was tugging her along, the red painted nails of her mother’s hand clawing into her thin arm with ferocity.

“Don’t pay any attention to that orphan.” Her mother had instructed.

“But why? Isn’t she my sister?”

Her mother scowled and bent down on one knee to stare fully into her daughter’s eyes. Her hair was the same lilac shade as her daughter, with it all twisted back in a forceful coif. Her pale skin was too bright with the level of blush she wore, but it was still drowned out by the black armor that clung to her like a second skin.

“Listen to me, Camilla. You are the second in line to the throne.”

Her mother motioned lazily at the girl behind them.

“She is the daughter of that harlot Arete. That woman tried to steal your birthright from you. She tried replacing you with her own child!”

Camilla titled her head childishly. She looked over her shoulder at the blue haired girl.

“But Father loved Queen Arete. And he loves you.”

Her mother smiled, it was meant to be gentle but there was a shadowed maliciousness behind her painted lips.

“I know. And he loves you too.”

Her painted nails grabbed at her daughter’s chin.

“But the others will try everything to steal that from you.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed viscously before she tugged Camilla along again.

“You must not let them. Not even her.”

Camilla heard a soft cry come from behind her; she looked over her shoulder in time to see the other girl motion to her. Her hand was raised in a questioning gesture, and her mouth opens in an unspoken question. Camilla felt her heart thump once in her chest, but she remembered her mother’s words and turned away. She forced herself to stare ahead, ignoring the soft whimper that came from the girl.

Nobody was going to steal her birthright from her. Not even a girl who was supposedly her younger sister.

*******

“Because…” Camilla paused; she couldn’t say that Azura was her sister. Her mother never treated her kindly, and admittedly neither did she. The Nohrian princess swallowed back her anger and stilled her hammering heart.

“Because you are dear to Kamui. And because I don’t destroy my allies.”

Ryoma looked over at his dubious…partner? Should he even call her that after everything that the woman did during the war?

Azura’s frown slowly turned into a soft smile. She grasped the spear that Camilla held and gently pulled it away from her.

“Sadly that isn’t true anymore.” She resumed her position in front of her two opponents.

“If you won’t stop me. Then I’ll force you.”

Azura quickly jabbed between the two adults, her spear not making a sound as she silently chose her target. She ducked behind Camilla and swiped her spear where her neck was. The older princess parried her thrust with her axe, and knocked the songstress back with a growl.

“Azura! Stop!” Ryoma called.

Azura’s hair fell into her face so the two couldn’t see her eyes. She didn’t respond to Ryoma, instead, she rolled away from Camilla and stabbed at Ryoma. The samurai let her spear go through his middle and grabbed it with both of his hands. He stomped his foot into the ground and pulled.

“Azura! I don’t want to hurt you!” Ryoma said sternly.

Azura didn’t stop; she pulled her spear away and jerked forwards. Ryoma crashed his Rajinto against the metal. Sparks went flying between the two specters.

“You aren’t fit for combat! You won’t stand a chance against me!”

A mighty axe sliced through Azura’s right arm, her limb dissolved into water and she dropped her spear. She turned back in time to see Camilla swipe her axe upwards through her upper torso. The songstress dissolved completely into water, only to reform two feet away from Ryoma and Camilla.

“I’m afraid she knows that Prince Ryoma,” Camilla said calmly.

“Princess Camilla! What are you doing?!”

Camilla tossed Azura her spear with a kick of her foot.

“Granting her the wish she seeks.”

********

Odin quickly disposed of yet another Invader that dared to get too close to his prince. He stabbed the monster through its heart and quickly stabbed through the one behind it. Niles was close behind him with his bow shooting arrow after arrow into any stragglers.

“They just keep coming!” He said irritably.

“Stop your complaining!” Odin growled.

Leo was in the back; casting what magic he could to keep any fatal attacks from reaching his men. Occasionally his line of sight would deviate to the battle ahead of his. Azura was sharing words with Camilla and Ryoma, but he couldn’t hear what they were saying.

He watched in horror as Camilla sliced her axe through Azura.

“Prince Leo!” Kaze appeared before him with his head pointed at the ground.

“Kaze. You haven’t found any traces of Kamui?”

“Well...about that..”

A large crash resounded behind Leo, the courtyard under his feet quaked with extra weight. The chains holding up the platform rattled, and a very familiar roar echoed around him. Kaze flinched at the force of the roar, but he pointed behind the prince.

“Found her.” He stated.

Leo turned in time to see his sister in her dragon form, with her wings spread and her head lowered. A bloody wound dripped against her side, but the dragon ignored it as she let out another roar. What appeared to be a glowing blue portal glittered behind her before it closed.

“I fetched her for you,” Kaze explained.

“How did you manage that?”

The dragon flew past Leo and landed squarely on a good-sized portion of the Invader army, her flank crushed the glowing figures into ash and water. She swiped her tail back and knocked off a couple more from the platform before stabbing her horns into a Faceless or two.

“I told milady that her siblings needed her.”

Leo waved at Kamui’s dragon form. The dragon paused in her massacre and turned to face him with a huff.

“I hope you didn’t plan on leaving us here with your mess,” Leo said.

He expected Kamui to answer in that garbled tone she used when she was in dragon form. But instead, he watched in shock as his sister’s spirit popped up from beneath her wings and waved back at him. Her face was pale, and she had bags under her eyes, but she was smiling triumphantly.

It was the first real full smile she had done in a while.

“Of course not! We came back to help!” She called back.

“K-Kamui? If that’s you then who’s-”

“At least act like you’re a little bit grateful Nohrian Prince!”

Leo almost lost his footing, he grabbed a hold of Niles’s cape and pulled himself upright again. Upon closer inspection, Kamui was holding her Grim Yato in one hand and had the Fujin Yumi strapped against her back. Takumi’s voice grunted in disgust at Leo’s lack of grace. That wasn’t strange for him, but what WAS strange was that Takumi was possessing Kamui’s body.

Prince Takumi was INSIDE of his sister’s dragon form.

“I would ask how this is possible but I’m afraid to know the answer.” He deadpanned.

“We don’t know either. It happened entirely by accident.” Kamui twirled a spare finger through her short locks.

“It’s a lot easier than you carrying me around.” Takumi turned his (her?) head back and faced his sister’s spirit.

Leo’s vines sprouted under Takumi’s feet and propelled him upwards. Kamui didn’t bother holding on, she lost her balance and fluttered to the ground. Takumi gave a mighty flap of the dragon’s wings and watched as Leo’s spell wove around a newly formed squad of Invaders. Leo clenched his fist, and the Invader’s burst apart before they could make a move.

“I’m glad you two are so friendly. But we are still in the middle of a battlefield.”

Kamui landed beside her brother, only for her other brother to land behind her. She ignored the rush of heat that ran through her from Takumi’s irritation. She could feel the heat building from the Fujin Yumi; it was practically calling for its master. She raised her Grim Yato, and stared up at it in surprise. It was glowing, almost as brightly as Takumi’s divine bow. She glanced over at Leo; his Brynhildr was also reacting and glowing as brightly as her sword.

“It’s happening again…” Leo said in awe.

“What does it mean?” Kamui asked.

Takumi’s massive head peered over his sister’s shoulder, the dragon tail slamming down against a growling Faceless that tried to come up behind him.

“They are reacting,” Takumi observed.

“You think to each other?” Kamui asked.

“Looks like it.”

Kamui stared up in time to see Ryoma and Azura charging at each other. She frowned as she watched her confidant and her brother battling it out. Camilla snuck up behind Azura and lobbed her arm off again, only for the songstress to pin her sister back against the Dusk Dragon statue. Ryoma responded by slicing through Azura’s middle, freeing Camilla from her captor.

“Look, we can worry about that later. Right now Ryoma and Camilla need us.”

She glanced back at her little brothers.

“Can you two at least get along during this battle?”

Leo stared up at the faceless mask that was supposed to be his sister’s. Takumi didn’t say anything, but he could still picture that smug smile in his mind. Takumi lowered his head.

“I guess.” He grumbled.

“Same here.” Leo nodded.

Kamui smiled brightly at her little brothers. She pulled Takumi’s elongated neck and Leo’s shoulders into a bear hug. Grasping her Grim Yato, she stood in front of her siblings with a straightened back. Her spirit was basking in the glow of a bright pink that twirled between her curls and over her clothed arms.

Inside her head, she could just barely feel a slight emotion of awe coming from Takumi.

“Let’s stop Azura.” She said towards the moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Odin can use swords in Fates. At least in his samurai secondary class. Come on we all REALLY know who Odin is. I'm going to try and go back and edit my earlier chapters. They are kind of messy..


	25. Chapter 25: Return of a Queen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: One more chapter until the end of act 1. It’s been about a year and a half since I started this fanfic, but I can’t wait to move on to the next act! Just in time for Halloween too!

“Kamui, what are you doing?!” Mikoto panicked, her fingernails raking through her raven locks.

She leaned over the scrying pool with worry furrowing her brow; in the water, she could see her daughter standing up against Azura. Kamui had her sword pinpointed against Azura’s chest and was staring her best friend down.

“You need to stop Azura,” Kamui said tiredly.

Azura had her back up against the Dusk Dragon statue; with her spear lying off to the side after Kamui knocked it out of her hands. Her golden eyes were brimming with unshed tears. She slowly shook her head and twitched a finger; her spear reacted and flew up towards Kamui’s head.

The dragon princess ducked away from the weapon and watched it stick out of the statue’s base.

“I can’t,” Azura said firmly.

“I don’t want to fight you again,” Kamui begged.

Azura grabbed her spear and kicked Kamui away from her; the princess flew backward until she met the strong legs of a dragon. Her dragon form bent down and gently picked her up with its jowls. The neck craned back until she was unceremoniously plopped onto its back.

“Begging won’t help.” Takumi huffed.

“But if I just try…” Kamui carefully balanced her feet on one of the dragon’s wings and carefully watched Azura. The songstress hadn’t moved from her spot, but she resumed her fighting stance.

“It’s obvious she doesn’t want our help Kamui,” Takumi said bluntly.

“You don’t want my help either. But I have to help her!” Kamui dived off of the wing and struck down at the songstress. She ignored her brother’s cry of protest and managed to land before Azura could strike her down.

Takumi huffed and swung the dragon’s tail back to knock away a few Invaders he felt crawling up his backside. He directed one of the mighty talons into the ground and lifted up a giant piece of slab. He tossed the slab another group of Invaders and watched them fall over the edge. How dare Kamui see his predicament so plainly, it was her fault he was dead in the first place.

He growled and lifted the dragon’s wings, coming to land on top of a Faceless that was trying to eat Leo. The blonde prince was pinned down by another Faceless, but he managed to cast an emergency spell that flung the Faceless into the void. He stood up on his shaking legs and irritably dusted off the dirt that sat on his armor.

“Could you please avoid crushing me?” He stared up at the dragon’s ‘face.’

“Oh trust me, if I wanted to I would.” Takumi bit back.

An arc of lightning sprung up between the princes, and an eerily glowing samurai charged forward between them. A lilac haired wyvern rider was clinging to his backside with her axe raised. She sprung off of him and swung her axe in a circle around her, slicing through Invaders as she went. The samurai vaulted off of the Dusk Dragon statue and came to land in between Azura and Kamui.

“Since when did Camilla learn to do THAT?” Leo stared at his sister with his brows raised. He glanced up at the dragon that Takumi was occupying.

“Why are they working together?” Takumi was equally confused.

“Now isn’t the time to be worrying about sides darlings!” Camilla called. She summoned a large fireball and threw it at a flying Invader. The monster and its mount came crashing down against the stone.

Kamui tried to run against Azura, but Ryoma put out a hand and gently shoved her back behind him. She protested but the samurai put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. When she glanced up she could see his dimly glowing pupils sparkling under the moon.

Her stomach dropped, she involuntarily shivered and tried to back away from her older brother. This was just like the time Takumi freaked out.

“Stay behind me.” He ordered.

He lifted his Rajinto with its electrically charged magic and aimed it directly at Azura’s heart. The songstress barely noticed his presence, she was solely trained on Kamui.

“I am to face Kamui. Not you Ryoma.” Azura said softly.

“You’ll have to go through me first.” The former prince threatened, he took a step forward but kept his grip on his sister.

“Why are you so keen on protecting her?”

Azura tried to step around Ryoma, but a quick shot of lightning between her toes stopped her. Ryoma straightened, his glowing irises doubling in size without losing their focus.

“She’s my sister.” He stated simply.

“You say that after she betrayed you?”

Ryoma chuckled, a sound that wasn’t violent or malicious, which just set Kamui’s nerves on edge. How can he be so calm about this when they were facing down an enemy? Her big brother let her go and crouched dangerously towards the ground. He gently held his katana and challenged Azura to move.

“It matters not, she needs me now.”

Azura closed her eyes.

“Then you are a fool.”

Azura charged at her adoptive brother until a protesting clap of metal rung through her ears. Kamui’s Grim Yato screeched against the tip of her spear. The ghostly princess glared at her best friend and head-butted her. The songstress screamed as her head flung back, Kamui grabbed her by her shoulders and shoved her roughly back against the statue’s base.

“Stop this Azura!” Kamui yelled.

Azura’s gaze turned to stare at Kamui’s Grim Yato; she raised a single finger and slid it across the surface. The sword immediately turned heavy, until Kamui forced it away from her.

“Your sword has gotten weaker,” Azura observed.

Ryoma rapidly sliced through Azura’s arm and gently carried Kamui away from the songstress. Azura gasped in pain but willed her arm to grow back as she stared after them. The pair of siblings moved towards the other side of the statue, with Kamui protesting the entire way.

“Ryoma! I had her pinned!” She demanded.

Ryoma’s fingers came to rest against her sacred katana. The sword turned heavy again this time clunking against the ground with a thump. Kamui tried to lift it, but the sword burned her skin and refused to budge.

“Why is your Yato refusing your command? And why did she say it was weaker?” Ryoma’s expression was full of concern, he crossed his arms and watched his sister struggle.

“It lost its previous form after the war.”

This was news to the samurai, his brow rose in surprise at the unexpected turn of events. He remembered seeing the Yato in its current form, but it had an even stronger transformation? What did it look like? And why did it devolve?

“It was once known as the Shadow Yato.”

Kamui’s spirit flickered in the moonlight, she sighed and put her sword against her waist. She ran her fingers through her short locks and turned to stare up at him.

“It transforms when I share a powerful bond with a divine weapon user.”

Ryoma’s fingers tightened around his Rajinto. He recognized the sorrow peeking through her words. Neither sibling wanted to say it, but they didn’t share a powerful bond. The last thing he had done was commit suicide, and she had, in turn, tore his entire kingdom to the ground.

“Then whom do you share this bond with?”

“Leo.”

At the sound of his name, a giant tree sprouted from between the two and angrily grew over the edge of the statue. A dozen or so Faceless were suddenly tossed over the side. Leo slowly walked from around the statue and crossed his arms impatiently.

“You know that we are still in a battle right?” He quipped.

“Sorry, Leo.” Kamui’s cheeks turned grey, she bowed her head and laughed nervously.

“Prince Ryoma, you need to do something about your brother.” Leo sighed and summoned more magic into his palm. He fired it a sneaking Invader that was coming up behind Kamui.

The Invader turned into water at her feet, the dragon princess shrieked when she felt the water splash over her. She glanced down at her toes and then at the pool. With a smile, she gingerly stepped into the water. Her grey skin glowed until all of the water absorbed into her spiritual form. She sighed happily and lifted her Grim Yato with little effort.

“Just what I needed!” She said energetically before running past her brothers.

“Prince Leo, did Kamui’s sword have a different form?” Ryoma asked.

The blonde prince watched his sister disappear with a small smile edging at his lips. He turned to face the older samurai, his soft smile never fully leaving. His eyes widened and he cleared his throat. He flipped through the pages of his Brynhildr to distract himself.

“Yes, the Shadow Yato.”

“Why did it devolve?” Ryoma leaned on one of his hips.

“Because her bond with Xander isn’t there anymore.” Leo’s head snapped up when he heard a feminine scream. He immediately turned and ran back towards the fray leaving Ryoma to process the information.

“Prince Xander isn’t doing his job.” Ryoma frowned angrily.

********

Mikoto was pacing around the edge of the pool again. She folded her hands against her skirt and willed her panic down. Everything was fine, Kamui was fighting back, and Takumi was safe. There was no reason she should be worried. But then why did her mind drift towards Kamui’s Yato?

“It shouldn’t devolve like that.” She whispered. She bent over the pool again, only to see Ryoma signaling her.

She moved her fingers across the surface, and an image of her oldest adoptive son took up the entire frame.

“What is it Ryoma?” She asked.

“Mother, it’s about Kamui.” He started until she delicately lifted a hand to silence him.

“Her Yato has grown weaker.” She watched him nod in thought.

“Yes, it seems Prince Xander’s bond with her has weakened.”

The priestess sighed and tapped her fingernails against the stone rim. This wasn’t good; Kamui’s sword was the only thing that could damage Anakos. The song that she and Azura knew could weaken him, and even disrupt his magic. But it wasn’t enough to permanently injure him.

“My daughter needs support.” She said quietly.

They couldn’t just use Kamui as a weapon; it went against everything that Mikoto stood by as her mother. Nohr had used her as a weapon, and Hoshido had glorified her as a mystic princess. Kamui had agreed to help stop Anakos, but what if she found out the truth? What if her daughter turned against her entire family?

“You know that won’t happen, Mother,” Ryoma said roughly.

“What?” Mikoto blushed and furiously tangled her fingers in her raven hair.

“Kamui won’t turn against everyone.” Ryoma’s tone left little room for argument. His stubbornness could easily be mistaken for blind faith.

“Anakos is a cruel man. He could use her weakness to manipulate her.”

Ryoma’s jaw tightened, his glare was enough to stop Mikoto’s breath. The priestess gasped and clenched at her heart. How could she say that? And so openly about her daughter? Did she really think that Kamui was that weak of a person?

“Kamui isn’t weak.” The former prince’s voice was low; it was strained with an emotion she couldn’t understand.

“How are you so sure?” She whispered.

“Her strength comes in her faith of others. The heart isn’t a weakness.” Ryoma nodded. The image of the samurai flickered before he came back into full focus. His brow was lowered in anger.

“We both saw what happens with the opposite. Takumi is dead after all.”

His image disappeared leaving behind a view of the battle from overhead. Mikoto collapsed against the pool. She bit her lip and gently weaved her fingers through the water. The cool liquid lapped at her skin, trying to soothe her frayed nerves. Ryoma was right heart wasn’t a weakness. She was the reason that Kamui wanted to defeat Anakos in the first place. Her daughter had sworn her loyalty to her, how could she afford to doubt her now? Kamui had so unadulterated faith in a woman she barely knew. She had to make sure that her daughter’s heart wasn’t made to bleed.

“Are you going to just sit there my dear?” A delicate male voice spoke up from behind the former queen.

Mikoto summoned her bow and pointed it at the voice. An arrow was notched between her fingers, aiming directly at the man’s heart. But when she turned around, her eyes widened.

“It’s been a long time Mikoto.” The male said softly.

*********

Kamui managed to defend herself from Azura’s rapid strikes. She kept her Grim Yato in front of her body and kicked the songstress away when she got too close. The pair of women clashed again, this time Kamui pushing hard against Azura’s staggering stance.

“Why do you insist on fighting me?” She yelled.

“You need to stop me.” Azura pleaded.

Azura grabbed Kamui by her shoulder and yanked her downwards. Her knee came up and hit the princess square in her chest. The princess felt no pain; she was a spirit that could barely feel the world around her. But she felt the impact of the ground as Azura towered over her with her fingers around her neck.

“Anakos still has a grasp on me,” Azura whispered; her tears fell down against her pale cheeks. Kamui frowned; she couldn’t just leave her best friend in pain.

“Azura…” The princess used her legs to cross over Azura’s body and threw her off.

Kamui ran her palm across the bottom of her eyes and patted away her own tears.

“I’m sorry I failed you.” She sobbed.

Azura quickly got to her feet and stabbed at the princess with the edge of her spear.

“You didn’t fail me. It was my choice.” Her voice was soft despite their current conflict. A stark contrast to the darkened skies and falling Invaders that surrounded them. Kamui blocked the edge of Azura’s spear and snapped it in half with her Grim Yato. She then grabbed the songstress by her arm and pinned her to the ground.

“But look at you! If I had just stopped you from singing that stupid song instead of just making you promise!” Kamui shoved her face into her hand and sighed shakily. Azura remained silent for a moment, her golden eyes never leaving Kamui’s face.

“I would have used that song even if you sided with Hoshido.”

Kamui’s hand tightened around her friend’s throat. She bit her lip and furiously shook her head.

“Why.” She said gruffly.

“Because I was the only one who could stop Anakos.”

“Well, that didn’t work. He has you now!”

Azura gently grasped Kamui’s hand; through her tears, the dragon princess felt a surge of pain in her skull. A filtered memory was trying to force itself to the surface. Through her hot tears, she could see a similar scene that had happened so long ago. Azura was on the ground, with a dragon’s talon wrapped around her neck. Water surrounded the two women, and Azura was imploring her with her own tears.

Kamui couldn’t really see anything else in the blurry memory, but she remembered those soft words that had calmed her the first time.

Azura smiled as her pale lips opened.

“Kill me if you want. But please do it as yourself.” She asked quietly.

Kamui furiously shook her head; she couldn’t quite remember the memory as fully as she wanted. Her body wasn’t her own at the time; it was like she was watching a dragon kill the songstress using her own hands. Azura gently stroked the princess’s pale skin with her delicate fingers. She was smiling, even as that blasted ruby tried to overtake her calming gold.

“Please Kamui, just do as I ask.” She said softly.

Kamui sighed, she let her head fall forward. It was too heavy for her neck to bear under all the weight of the sadness.

“I can’t.” She whispered.

A massive dragon talon slammed down between the two friends. Immediately a grey tail wrapped around Kamui’s middle and lifted her off of Azura. The songstress gasped in surprise, before combat rolling to her feet. The dragon pawed at the ground with its wings flared. It snorted and placed Kamui on it’s back.

“Stop having your heart on your sleeve Sister!” Takumi demanded.

“Takumi?” Kamui asked confusedly. She had been so focused on Azura, that she hadn’t felt or sensed her brother’s emotions. But now she could hear his mumbling thoughts in the back of her head. It was a comforting buzz that projected both his concern and his irritability.

“We need to stop her remember?” He grumbled.

“I know that! I want to STOP her not KILL her!” Kamui protested.

Takumi huffed and berated his sister mentally while focusing on Azura. The songstress wasn’t attacking. She was facing the siblings with a placid yet sad smile and her arms dangling by her side. She refused to pick up her weapon or summon any more spears.

“I’m tired of fighting.” She said meekly.

“Azura. I’m so sorry.” Takumi bowed the dragon’s head low to the ground. He had failed his adoptive sister. It wasn’t her fault that Kamui had betrayed them and joined Nohr. He should have done more to ensure her safety after the Hoshidans found out about her Nohrian past. Now she was a puppet of a mad dragon, and there was really nothing he could do but give her a mercy killing.

Just like Kamui granted his wish when his body suffered the same fate.

“It was my choice Takumi. Please don’t blame yourself.” Azura put her hand to her chest and turned away. She couldn’t bear to see her adoptive brother blame himself.

“I was cruel to you. And Kamui. Maybe it was me that made you two choose Nohr...” Takumi sighed; he sat back on the dragon’s haunches not hearing his sister’s cry of surprise. Kamui slid back onto the ground and landed on her knees. She stroked the dragon’s side and sent reassuring thoughts to the archer.

“No. Don’t ever think that Takumi.” Azura stomped her foot and glared up at him.

“Then why did you choose this place?” He whispered.

“Because my life was endangered. Nobody in Hoshido wanted a Nohrian in their mix. And…Garon had to fall.” Azura said calmly, her face was stony and completely cut off from her gentle heart.

Takumi’s mind stuttered, he fell from the body of the dragon and landed on his hands on the cold ground. Kamui gasped, she returned to her dragon form before it dissolved into her normal physical body. She grasped Takumi’s shoulders and supported him from falling over in shock.

“You…were planning this? How long?” Takumi asked.

“For as long as I knew Garon was Anakos’s slave.”

Takumi and Kamui exchanged a cautionary glance. Takumi motioned for his Fujin Yumi that was still strapped to Kamui’s back. The princess passed the divine weapon to its master, as soon as it was in his grasp Takumi’s color improved. He managed to lean on one knee with his bow pointed at Azura.

“How do we know if you are telling the truth?” He asked.

Kamui put a hand in front of Takumi.

“She’s telling the truth.” Her tone was flat and even.

“What? How are you so sure?” Takumi demanded sharply. He jumped to his feet and was about to push forward but Kamui blocked him with her Grim Yato. She glared at him, her mind pushing against him with her entire spirit. It was heavy and full of such pressure that Takumi gasped. He involuntarily fell to one knee, this time only having the strength to glare up at Kamui.

“Azura, you inherited your abilities from your mother yes?” Kamui asked.

Azura’s hands flew to her mouth, she gasped mildly and went completely still. She searched Kamui’s face for any source of deception. After a long pause, she subtly nodded her head as if she was afraid of the answer. Kamui calmly slackened her grip on her Grim Yato and stepped towards Azura. She ignored Takumi’s protest and stepped into the water that surrounded Azura’s feet. She pointed to her side; the wound that Azura caused was still bleeding.

Water slowly climbed up Kamui’s legs until it latched onto her wound. In an instant, the bleeding stopped the wound merged together into an ugly red scar. Kamui didn’t flinch during the entire process. She kept her gaze locked on Azura who was watching her healing wound with horror.

“How?” Azura gasped.

“I’ve kept this secret.” Kamui gently swiped her fingers across her side. She hissed at the pain but demonstrated that there was no more blood.

“Then that means…you inherited my abilities?” Azura asked, her mouth pulling into a slightly confused pout.

“No, I’ve always had it.”

Kamui gently placed her hands on her friend’s shoulders and squeezed. She should have been overjoyed to finally talk to the real Azura. But the songstress was still treading water, and her body was still flickering purple. She willed away her panic and focused on the one question bothering her.

“I inherited my abilities from Queen Mikoto. Did you inherit yours from your mother?” She repeated.

“Yes...?” Azura’s brow furrowed in confusion. It would have been endearing if not for the flecks of ruby standing out against the gold.

“Don’t you think there could be a connection?” Kamui pressed.

Before Azura could open her mouth, a slow round of clapping sounded behind her. The songstress stiffened, her hands were shaking and she was doing her best not to cry. The clapping got louder, as a pair of stiff heels clicked against the stone ground. From inside the Dusk Dragon statue, a flickering shadow slowly phased through and stopped behind Azura.

The shadow clamped a hand on Azura’s shoulder and blasted a fireball directly into Kamui’s face. The dragon princess didn’t have time to react, she only felt the heat and saw the color of red until she was carried away from the blast. Cold metal surrounded her, and a white trench coat protected her from the smoke. Ryoma held her in his arms, his Rajinto pointed directly at Azura and the new intruder.

“How dare you,” Ryoma growled.

Kamui gasped when she felt her older brother’s fingers tighten around her. He was standing over Takumi protectively protecting him from the intruder too. The archer could see the intruder and Azura through his brother’s glowing image. The intruder stepped closer into the moonlight; it was a woman with blue hair.

“Are you two alright?” Ryoma asked.

Camilla flew overhead on her wyvern, her undead mount carrying a couple of Intruders before dropping them into the pit. She noticed the blue-haired woman glaring up at her. The Nohrian princess tightened her grip on the reins and motioned for her wyvern to turn around. The beast growled as the pair disappeared around the bend, leaving only Ryoma and his two siblings to face off against the woman.

“I’m fine...” Kamui said softly as she was put on the ground next to Takumi.

“You shouldn’t be so close to Azura, it’s obviously a trap Kamui.” The samurai chided. His eyes were practically aflame with anger, but it wasn’t directed at his sister. He straightened and stood in front of his younger siblings.

“Who are you.” He demanded directly of the woman.

“Who am I indeed?” She responded suavely, a manicured nail came up and tapped mockingly against her chin.

She grasped Azura’s shoulder tightly, the songstress gasped in pain.

“I am an agent of Anakos. Sent here to deal with this failure.” The woman said snidely, her fingers finding their way into Azura’s hair.

“Azura isn’t a failure! YOU took her away!” Kamui yelled.

The woman laughed evilly. She glared through Ryoma directly at Kamui.

“You. You are Princess Kamui correct?” She asked.

Kamui stiffened; she obviously didn’t know who this woman was or why she knew her name. The dragon princess cautiously climbed to her feet, she kept her Grim Yato and pointed it at the woman. Ryoma put his hand out to block her path, and Takumi sprang up behind her with his free hand grabbing at her shoulder. This woman looked similar to Azura, she couldn’t be her…. could she?

“Poor child, your mommy dearest is lying to you.” The woman sneered.

The woman summoned another fireball, this one larger and deadlier than the last one. She grabbed Azura and pulled her close to her chest. Her golden eyes were aflame just as Ryoma’s were, but they held no heat. All Kamui could see was death staring at her, with no emotion displayed on the woman’s regal face.

“Anakos sends his greetings.” She said simply.

The woman flicked the fireball at the 3 siblings. It grew into a massive explosion that almost blinded Kamui. She screamed and shielded her eyes with her arm all the while Ryoma dove to protect her and Takumi. The archer in question was pulling at Kamui’s torso, demanding that they run lest they are engulfed in flames. He wasn’t scared of getting hurt, it was her that he was worried would perish by the heat.

But another fireball collided with the first one and knocked it back into the woman’s face. Azura managed to duck out of the way leaving only the woman to take on the blast. Camilla landed squarely in front of the others, with Leo sitting behind her with his magic crackling. The dark prince tightened his hold on his Brynhildr and willed his magic to blow away the flames.

“Sorry for the drop in dearies,” Camilla said sweetly.

“Is it really time for banter Camilla?” Leo deadpanned.

The Nohrian princess smiled and patted her baby brother on his head. He grumbled and pushed her hand away, a light blush dotted his cheeks as he smoothed down his hair. Camilla summoned her own fireball and used it to light up the area. Everything became bathed in a gentle glow, with the burning remains of the stone standing out against the soft aura.

She pointed her light at the woman out of curiosity. The woman was dressed in traditional Nohrian robes, albeit with a generous amount of cleavage. She was bleeding water where the fireball had hit her. Her skin patched itself back together with purple miasma stitching in place. The woman lifted a casual brow and wiped away the remaining water with her thumb.

“Hello, Queen Arete.” Camilla said calmly.

“Princess Camilla.” Arete’s eyes lit up with surprise. She put a manicured hand to her mouth and laughed.

Camilla crushed her fireball in her palm and summoned lightning in its place. She pointed a single finger at the puddle standing at Arete’s feet. The woman was obviously not taking her seriously.

“I heard you’ve been bothering my dear Kamui.” Camilla sneered.

“Just delivering a message. I’m not here to destroy you today.” Arete casually waved her hand and grabbed Azura by the wrist. The songstress yelped weakly, the woman’s grip was too strong for her weakened state.

“Oh, and to take out the garbage of course.” Arete motioned to Azura and grasped the songstress’s chin with two of her nails.

A glowing blue arrow ricocheted between her fingers; the woman stumbled back in surprise. A white blur enough time to grab Azura by the waist and whisk her away. A massive dragon talon came down upon Arete and crushed her into the nearby statue base. Vines collected at her feet and bound her to the stone while a massive axe pressed at her throat.

“Get away from her!” Kamui screamed.

Camilla pressed her chest against Arete’s and leaned in closer towards the possessed former Queen of Nohr. The half-empty smile the woman wore tore at the Nohrian princess’s heart. This was the woman that her mother called heartless. She was the woman who stole Camilla’s birthright and gave it to her own daughter. But in her memory, she could only remember glimpses of the woman. And all the times she saw her lurking around the castle, it was always with a young girl who she loved the most.

“A mother shouldn’t be calling her own daughter garbage.” Camilla pointed her axe closer to Arete’s throat.

“Mother?” Ryoma questioned, he held Azura against his chest with his arms wrapped protectively around her.

“I knew it,” Kamui whispered, softly enough that the only person who heard her was Takumi. The archer turned to stare at his older sister, just how much did she know about Azura’s mysterious past?

“And what of it? You honestly can’t tell me that your mother didn’t do the same.” Arete laughed in Camilla’s face, her cruel sneer didn’t deter the princess, however.

Camilla laughed alongside Arete; her laugh started small and soft but grew in strength. She tilted her head back and laughed angrily into the empty air. Until the only sound that anybody could hear was her psychotic chortle. Slowly her laughter died down, and the princess sighed. She smiled and lowered her axe from the former Queen’s throat. Until she reached up and swiftly backhanded the woman, sending her flying away from the group.

Azura gasped from her position in Ryoma’s hands, she reached out towards her mother. Arete didn’t go very far, she skidded to a halt with her heels and wiped at the cracking skin that Camilla caused. She snapped her fingers; a dozen or so Invaders surrounded her each with their own group of Faceless.

“This has been fun. But I’m not here to play.” She waved her hand.

Leo gasped at the amount of raw energy he felt in the air; he gripped his tome tighter and jumped off of Camilla’s wyvern.

“Camilla! Run!” He yelled.

The princess didn’t have enough time to react, one of the Invaders charged into her and exploded. Camilla was engulfed in flames, leaving Leo and Kamui screaming her name in horror. Leo immediately cast a spell, blocking a couple of the Invaders and making them explode against his tree.

“They’re enchanted.” He said stiffly, his emotions were entirely focused on his older sister. The flames were still rising towards the sky, and he didn’t see her stepping out of them.

“Big Sister!” Kamui screamed, she charged past Leo and willed her arm to turn into a dragon talon.

She grabbed hold of Camilla and pulled her away from the flames. The older woman was burned, but it wasn’t as bad as they thought. Her hair was frayed at the ends, and her bare skin was splotched in places. But she was alive, and breathing, as Kamui set her down beside her. Kamui transformed into a dragon and generated a pool of water at her feet that she willed to surround her sister.

“Are you okay Big Sister?” She asked desperately.

Camilla coughed, her voice sounded rough and filled with smoke.

“That took me by surprise.” She coughed.

Leo crushed another exploding Invader with another tree. He turned back towards the stunned Hoshidan ghosts and frowned.

“Don’t just stand there! We could use some help!” He yelled.

Ryoma and Takumi shook themselves out of their stupor, Ryoma gently placed Azura on the ground. He stood protectively over her and hesitated. He needed to help Kamui and the others, but he couldn’t leave his adoptive sister unguarded. Arete was after her more than anyone. Azura stared up at him pleadingly; she motioned her head towards the crowd.

“I can’t just leave you like this…” He hesitated.

A steady hand reached up and grasped at his shoulder. He turned to stare into the confident amber pupils of his baby brother. Takumi raised his fist holding the Fujin Yumi and nodded.

“I can protect Azura. I’m better at a distance.” He explained.

“Are you sure Takumi?” Ryoma asked.

The younger former prince flinched, but he kept his gaze steady and gave another nod. The samurai nodded and quickly moved to join the others at the front of the fight. Takumi moved to stand in front of Azura with his arrows notched and ready to fire. But as Ryoma rushed to join the fray, he paused.

Takumi’s soft words made him stop.

“It’s not like I have any other uses.” The archer mumbled.

Ryoma caught up with Kamui and stood next to his younger sister. She glanced up at him and sighed at the frown pulling at his lips. She silently tilted her head and pointed back at Takumi with her tail. The samurai nodded his head and frowned before charging up his Rajinto. The dragon bowed down and offered her back to her brother, the samurai stepped back in surprise. But without a word, he climbed onto her back and securely squared his legs against her center.

Before Kamui straightened she sent a small message to her younger brother. She couldn’t see his expression, but she sensed the sharp heat of embarrassment at her words. Takumi’s mental words stumbled over themselves, it was too sad to laugh at him with how he still saw himself.

/ You aren’t useless Takumi. I wish you would stop saying that. /

Kamui brandished her wings and stood protectively in front of Camilla and Leo with Ryoma perched on top. She pawed at the ground and challenged the remaining Invaders to come at her. She could feel Azura’s gaze on her backside, but right now her main focus had to remain on Arete.

/ You’ll get better. / She said softly.

/ Why? / His voice was soft with an unfamiliar emotion, and she barely felt his mental presence brush against hers. Kamui bit back the tears that threatened to fall and growled at Arete.

/ Because haven’t you been through enough suffering? / She combatted.

Takumi didn’t answer, but as Kamui charged headfirst into the fray, she could feel his emotions bubbling inside. An amalgamation of embarrassment, sadness, distrust, and curiosity mixed together inside her head. After a long pause, his emotions evened out into only one thought. It was a very soft aura, almost too faint for Kamui to feel.

/ I want to try. / He whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we move locations.


	26. Chapter 26: Falling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And here we are! After 4 months without an update here is the end of act 1! FINALLY!

“Hello, Mikoto.” The male before the former Queen didn’t move, he harmlessly opened his hands to show he held no weapon. Mikoto didn’t respond and continued to point her arrow at his breast.

Her stare hardened when he tried to take a step forward, with a slip of her finger an arrow jammed into the stone right by his foot.

“Stay away,” she warned.

“Please Mikoto, I came to help,” the male pleaded. The Queen furiously shook her head and plunged her hand into the pool.

“You have done enough.” She raised her hand, and streams of water surrounded her protectively.

“Dear, if I wanted to hurt you don’t you think I would have done so by now?” The male tried to take another step forward, but Mikoto shoved her hand forward. The water turned into ice and blocked his path. She couldn’t see his face; a shroud covered it. But in the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of blue.

“Tell that to your other half. As long as I stand you will not come near me or my daughter!” Mikoto angrily notched another arrow and shot it at the man, this time with the intent to kill.

*******

Xander raced through the halls of his castle with his retainers and Elise on his heels. He angrily knocked aside any Faceless that got in his way, Kamui had told him to follow her. But after she flew out the window, he had lost track of his sister. Camilla and Leo were also missing. The troubled Nohrian King frowned and pushed upon the stone doors leading outside.

“Guards report! Where are my siblings?” He demanded of his men.

“We haven’t seen them, sir!” One of the guards announced, he was desperately fighting off a Faceless chewing on his javelin.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Elise launched a fireball and managed to dislodge the Faceless from the poor guard.

Xander slammed his Siegfried into the ground and stared out the main entrance of the castle. His men were fighting tirelessly to drive away any Faceless or possessed mages that came their way. But why were they only attacking the castle? He hadn’t received any reports of Windmire or any other neighboring cities falling under an attack. He glanced back at his youngest sister; Elise was already rushing to the aid of the injured. Even Laslow and Peri were providing aid by joining the pushback effort.

“Your Majesty.” Beruka landed her wyvern to the side; she knocked aside a Faceless with the dull end of her axe.

The assassin stepped off of her wyvern and silently bowed before her king. Xander motioned for her to stand; his sister’s retainer was completely alone without even Selena by her side. The corner of his mouth tugged into a troubled frown, Camilla without her retainers was never a good sign.

“Please tell me you know where my siblings are Beruka.” He said sternly.

“Yes.” Beruka’s face never changed expression, but she did grunt in irritation when another Faceless came up from behind. She shoved her axe into its gut and cut the monster in half.

“Can you lead me to them?” Xander asked.

“Yes.” Beruka climbed back onto her wyvern and motioned for him to follow. Xander took a cautious step forward, watching the assassin cautiously as she waited. She tapped the side of her wyvern’s neck with her hand and stared expectantly at him. The Nohrian King stopped a few feet from her in astonishment.

“Are you expecting to fly me there?” He frowned.

“Yes. Your Majesty.” Beruka’s tone was soft, but the slight twitch of her brow revealed her underlying boredom.

“Xander! Look out!” Elise called, a massive fireball exploded behind her brother. Xander turned around at the loud noise, only to see the burning remains of a mage being consumed by his own magic.

Elise ran past her brother and knocked away the mage with her staff, the burning corpse collided with a pile of Faceless and set them on fire. She dusted off the edge of her skirt with a pout.

“And stay out!” She yelled.

Xander gently picked up Elise by her waist and handed her off to Beruka. The assassin’s brows shot up in surprise but she readily accepted the princess. Elise let out a squeal of surprise and started kicking her legs in vain. Beruka adjusted her grip and held the youngest princess against her chest.

“I need to stay here. Beruka, take my sister and run,” Xander ordered.

“What?! Xander, you can’t be serious!” Elise struggled to escape from Beruka, but the assassin held her tighter.

“I can’t find the others, so at least you need to stay safe,” Xander sighed. He raised his Siegfried and turned back towards the fray. Beruka signaled for her wyvern to take off, with Elise still struggling to leave her grasp.

“Xander you IDIOT!” Elise cursed as Beruka launched them into the air. The youngest princess watched in anger as her brother joined his retainers in the fight. A bright blue portal opened in front her, and she turned her head in time to see the astral plane spread out before her. Beruka dove head first into the portal, with Elise, silently glaring at her brother.

As the portal closed, Xander launched a strike of dark energy against the advancing mages. The mages screamed in agony as they were thrown backward. The Nohrian King signaled for his retainers. Peri and Laslow flanked him on either side and drew each of their weapons.

“We need to finish this quickly. My siblings are in danger,” he ordered. Peri giggled in glee as Laslow prepared to dance. Xander glanced up at the sky where the portal leading to Kamui’s secret base closed. He swallowed back that tiny sliver of fear in his throat.

“Stay safe Elise,” he whispered before engaging the enemy.

*******

“There’s too many of them!” Leo growled as he launched another Faceless over the edge. He could feel his magic fizzling; he could barely conjure up a tree let alone a solitary vine. Camilla threw her hand axe at an incoming mage, the sound of a cracking skull made Leo flinch. Both siblings stood back to back, with a massive of Faceless surrounding them.

“This is certainly not the way I expected to die,” Camilla sighed. She pulled out another hand axe and summoned her own magic. Leo looked over his shoulder at his older sister. Her hair was torn and frazzled at the ends, and her armor was badly dented. But she still remained calm even against such dire odds.

“How can you make jokes at this time?!” He yelled.

“If I don’t make jokes then who else is going to keep you from drowning in your own insecurities Leo?” Camilla questioned.

“Excuse me?” The younger prince balked at his sister’s words. He turned around and put his hands on his hips.

“Your magic is failing Brother.” Camilla ducked underneath the fist of a Faceless and shoved her hand into its middle. With a smile, she launched a massive bolt of lightning that arced out towards the rest of its brethren. The crowd of Faceless screamed and fell into a pile of twitching limbs.

Leo couldn’t stop his body from shaking in anger. He bit his lip and stopped his mouth from shouting out obscenities. Camilla flipped her hair over her shoulder and put her hands on his. Her expression was gentle, almost unbearably so. She stared down at his Brynhildr for a moment before looking back up at him.

“You are almost completely out of energy,” she said softly.

“I have more than enough strength to defend myself!” Leo protested. He slammed a hand over his mouth in embarrassment.

“Then why not use your sword?”

Leo inwardly flinched at his sister’s question; he glanced down at the sword lying against his hip. He was trained in wielding one, but he held more pride as a gifted sorcerer. Camilla’s fingers brushed the hilt of his sword before coming up to hold his chin. She lifted his face and made a soft grunt at the despair she could see brewing in his brown eyes.

“See that boy there?” She pointed behind him.

Her thumb pointed at the pair of ghosts sitting a few feet away from Leo. Takumi was helping Azura across the battlefield, his pale image almost clashing with her dripping body. They were a mess of flickering grey and water, a pathetic sight to behold to anybody who could see them.

“Prince Takumi died because of his jealousy and despair,” Camilla said calmly.

Leo couldn’t keep his eyes off of his Hoshidan counterpart. The ghostly prince helped his adoptive sister sit back against the Dusk Dragon statue. His image flickered before he equipped his Fujin Yumi and stood protectively in front of the songstress. His face was grim, but he wasn’t looking at the Faceless who ignored him. He was staring up at a transformed Kamui and a rampaging Ryoma who flew overhead.

“Do you want to end up like him?” Camilla questioned.

Leo’s fingers tightened around the hilt of his blade. He grimaced for a moment before clearing his throat.

“I do not blame Prince Takumi for his fate,” he clarified.

Takumi’s ears perked up, he stared at Leo’s back out of curiosity. He quietly stepped a bit closer in hopes of catching more of his words. Camilla noticed his motions, but she kept her focus on her brother.

“He and I are too much alike," Leo mumbled. He slowly lifted his blade out of its hilt and held up to his sister.

“And it’s because of that reason that I don’t want you to fail.” Camilla’s hands dug into his shoulders. Leo could actually feel the pressure of her fingers through his armor. If she were angry Camilla could likely crack the metal in half.

Leo stepped away from his sister and straightened his collar. He gently placed his Brynhildr against his hip and brandished his sword. He could feel a pair of eyes drilling into the back of his skull. He looked over his shoulder and met the eye contact of Takumi. The two teens stared each other down for a moment until Leo moved and took a step closer.

“I did fail Camilla. I failed Kamui, I failed to see beyond what our father was, and I failed to speak up against the march on Hoshido.” Takumi’s eyes widened at Leo’s admission. The ghost tightened his grip on his Fujin Yumi, but he never broke eye contact with the blonde.

“As did I Brother,” Camilla admitted.

She summoned a fireball that floated above the middle of her palm. Camilla lifted her hand and let the fireball illuminate the dark area. Takumi’s face became highlighted in the light, his expression was confused and curiosity mixed into one. Camilla tried not to stare, but she couldn’t stop herself from observing the way her light filtered through Takumi’s skin.

“Then what do you say to helping this boy?” Camilla asked Leo, her lips spreading apart in an amused smile.

“Kamui and Prince Takumi are going to need all the help they can get.” 

Leo fought back his own smile when he saw Takumi’s jaw loosen. The ghost lifted his hand to protest, but the siblings turned away from him. Camilla went first and targeted the mages trying to summon more Faceless.

But as Leo ran past to join his sister, a cold hand wrapped around his wrist. The pull wasn’t too strong but he stopped anyway. Leo turned around to face his Hoshidan counterpart. Takumi’s amber irises were narrowed, but he wasn’t visibly angry. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. After a moment, the archer took an unnecessary breath and let Leo go.

“Why?” He whispered.

Leo tightened his grip on his sword, against his hip the Brynhildr thrummed with untapped energy. He watched as Takumi’s Fujin Yumi responded with a soft glow of its own. The Nohrian prince hesitated before slowly placing a hand on Takumi’s shoulder. The ghost flinched but he didn’t move away or remove his hand.

“Because I was a coward. And I won’t allow Nohr or Hoshido to fall into the hands of a manipulative god. He took my father, Kamui’s happiness, and your life,” Leo said simply.

Takumi didn’t reply; he looked his Nohrian counterpart up and down before coming closer. Leo tried his hardest not to demand personal space, but the ghost stepped up until their noses were almost brushing. He was analyzing Leo’s face with that sharpness that only he possessed. The Nohrian prince remained frozen in place, who knows what the ghost would do if he moved.

After a moment Takumi sighed and backed off. He stood protectively in front of Azura and restrung his bow.

“It’s a little late for me," Takumi snarked.

Leo pinched his brow, after all of that the archer still had the gall to be sarcastic?

“Kamui doesn’t think so,” Leo reasoned.

Takumi glanced upwards; overhead his sister flew between the clouds and battled any flying Invaders that might spawn. Her body was battered and bloody, but she kept her wings spread while Ryoma cut down their targets. He sucked in a breath, only to feel it fizzle out without filling his chest. He clenched the space where his heart should be, but no pulse or rhythm was there to comfort him.

“And I won’t let Queen Arete harm you,” Leo said.

Takumi’s focus returned to the blonde.

“But...” He started to protest again, but the words got stuck in his throat.

“I don’t think our sister can live through your death twice Prince Takumi.”

Takumi stumbled backward a bit, but he straightened his back. His glare was sharp, but Leo could make out the sorrow threatening to overshadow it. The Nohrian prince raised his hand to his mouth. He called for his retainers, and immediately Niles and a sword-wielding Odin flanked him.

The three of them charged to assist Camilla, but just before Leo was out of earshot he heard a soft murmur.

“Why are you trying so hard?”

Leo turned his head as he raised his sword to impale a Faceless coming at him. He made his words loud enough only for Takumi to hear.

“Because Kamui loves you. And in another life, you and I could have been friends.” And with that Leo cut the Faceless in half before joining his retainers in further combat.

Takumi watched the blonde leap into the fray. He kept his spare hand clenched at where his heart should have been.

“Did he just say ‘Our’ sister?”

*******

Kamui’s claws impaled a flying Invader and crushed the neck of her undead wyvern. The transformed princess lifted the Invader and her reptile over her head and tossed them into the pit. Ryoma’s legs tightened around her middle, he focused on his sword and launched an arc of lightning behind them. The lightning struck two pegasus riding Invaders, he watched them disappear in a flurry of water and feathers.

“We can’t keep this up all night Kamui,” he called out to his sister over the turbulence.

“You’re right.” Kamui slowly circled overhead before diving for the courtyard. She came to land behind the Dusk Dragon statue and de-transformed.

Ryoma caught Kamui as she collapsed to her knees, she was breathing heavily and barely able to stay upright. Her tunic and tights were torn, and her body was bleeding from various wounds. But Kamui gently pushed his arms away and stood up. She leaned heavily on her Yato for balance.

“Kamui!” Azura hastily made her way over to her friend. Water dripped from her hair and body but Kamui sighed happily when Azura’s eyes remained golden.

“Anakos...hasn’t claimed you?” She asked.

“No. It seems Anakos has tossed me aside.” The songstress knelt by Kamui’s side.

“Don’t touch her.” Takumi pointed his Fujin Yumi at Azura.

“Takumi!” Kamui balked.

Takumi stood between Azura and Kamui. He didn’t attack the songstress, but he kept his Fujin Yumi pointed at her. He put his hand out to stop Kamui, and he felt her fingers brushing his. A light touch of energy raced up his arm, and the archer smiled at the relief it brought to his spirit. He could feel his exhaustion lightening, to the point that he tightened his grip on Kamui’s hand.

“We don’t know if Anakos has lost interest in her completely,” Takumi said.

“That’s true…but…” Kamui bit her lip; she couldn’t stand watching Azura slink away from the siblings. The songstress put her hands on her chest, but her face remained stoic.

“I understand your hesitance. I did attack you all,” Azura said calmly.

“Were you aware of your actions?” Takumi questioned.

“Indeed. But I had no control over my body.” Azura put out her hand and summoned a brand new lance. It was her Blessed Lance that she used to carry when in Kamui’s company.

“Just like me…” Takumi gripped Kamui’s hand even tighter. His sister came up from behind and put her hand on his shoulder. A stabbing pain suddenly radiated from his temple, making Takumi gasp out in agony. He stumbled forward and would have fallen if Kamui didn’t catch him with her bloody hands.

Black spots started to dance in his vision; Takumi removed his hands from Kamui to grip madly at his hair. He could hear Kamui calling for him, but it was like he was underwater. His mind was tearing at the seams as if it were desperately trying to remember something important.

“No! Stop! I can’t attack her! Kamu-!”

“~ You are the oceans grey waves. ~” A gentle but cold wave washed over him, and the headache slowly disappeared. Takumi opened his eyes in time to see Azura standing over him and singing gently.

Azura spread her arms towards the pair of siblings in front of her. Her singing never faltered and the water dripping from her body spread out from her feet. Kamui cautiously stepped forward against Takumi’s protests. She bent down and gently touched the water; all the while Azura remained singing.

“~ Destined to seek. ~” Azura sang lightly.

Kamui gasped, she raised her hand in time to see the water race down her arm and close the wounds that bled from her skin. Azura was using her own spiritual energy to heal her. Takumi tried to pull Kamui back, but when the water reached him he froze. All of his exhaustion and pain from before washed away. The water didn’t go through him, it absorbed into his projected form as if he were corporeal.

“~ Life beyond the shore just out of rea-!”

Kamui was knocked back into Takumi, and the pair went tumbling until Takumi crashed into the Dusk Dragon statue. A hand slammed over Azura’s mouth and twisted her hands behind her back. Arete prevented her daughter from finishing the song and the water beneath Azura disappeared.

“Let’s not finish that song,” she sneered.

Kamui gave her body a once-over; most of her smaller wounds had been healed. But the wound in her side had reopened from the earlier strain. She clamped down on her Grim Yato and jumped to her feet.

“We need to get Azura away from that woman.”

Kamui turned around to face her brother, only to see that the upper half of his soul was phasing through the statue base.

“Takumi?” She asked while gently poking his leg with her foot.

The former prince of Hoshido launched himself out of the base with a sharp breath. He fell back on his hindquarters, his cheeks burning with a very pale grey. He scrambled for his weapon and clambered to his feet. With a sharp cough he straightened his back, but Kamui could feel the strong rush of embarrassment running between their mental link.

“Nobody saw that,.” Takumi deadpanned.

“Yes. Nobody saw that.” Kamui smiled gently, she felt a small brush of gratitude flow through her.

“There’s no way we can take her on by ourselves.” She lamented. Even from her standpoint, Kamui could feel the magic radiating from Arete. It made her skin crawl as if her dragon form was being drawn to the surface. She bit her thumb in thought before an idea formed.

“I’ve got an idea.”

*******

Azura summoned her Blessed Lance to her captured hand, as it formed it forced Arete to separate from her. Azura quickly grasped her weapon and twirled. She swiped her lance from behind her back, but she only managed to cut a little bit of hair off of Arete’s hanging fringe. The woman dashed back to put distance between herself and her daughter.

“Even after all this you still defy me?” She snarled.

Azura gathered her courage and brandished her lance over her head. She took her classic fighting stance and glared.

“You are not my mother,” she snarled back.

Arete’s golden irises narrowed, and the smug smile on her lips turned into a full scowl. She quickly launched a fireball at Azura, but the songstress immediately dodged it. She disappeared from sight and reappeared in front of the possessed sorceress. Her lance was too fast for Arete to see, but she matched Azura’s speed and barely dodged her attack.

“It seems my lord’s influence hasn’t left you completely,” Arete teased.

“I don’t think it ever will,” Azura whispered before she disappeared again.

Arete couldn’t tell where Azura had gone; there was no trace of the songstress left. Where she had stood was a small puddle of water, but the sorceress couldn’t trace her daughter because she didn’t possess any magic. She quickly scanned the battlefield for any movement.

Before she could react, Azura reformed over her head with her body floating upside down and her lance pointed at Arete’s chest. The songstress proved to be too fast for her mother. Before Arete could knock her away Azura stabbed her in the chest. Spindly cracks of white light blistered over Arete’s skin.

“YOU NEED TO LEARN YOUR PLACE!” Arete screamed, as she summoned fire with both hands and lunged for Azura.

An electrically charged sword came down and cut away both of the sorceress’s hands. The former Nohrian Queen screamed and stumbled back. Ryoma appeared overhead with Azura in his hands. He quickly found his footing and gently placed the songstress on the ground.

“You are fast,” he said with a small but sad smile.

“Underneath Anakos’s possession, you learn some new tricks.” Azura swiped her fingers through her blue hair. Droplets of water fell and evaporated as they hit the ground.

With no time for tender words, the adoptive siblings turned their attention to their enemy. Arete chuckled darkly and reformed her hands from the dark energy emanating from her body. She folded her hands across her chest and peered at the pair with a menacing smile.

“So you are going to protect that piece of trash? You foolish samurai,” she cooed.

“Her name is Azura. And you can’t control her anymore," Ryoma growled.

Arete laughed darkly and shrugged without a care to her name. She lifted her hands, the enormous amounts of magic awakened from deep within her. The dark energy spread out from behind her, and it took on a form so unfamiliar in design. A gigantic dragon, about the size of the courtyard itself, emerged from her magic. It was a sickly grey color, with 2 haunting pairs of red eyes glowing out of its malformed skull. Spikes ran from its head down its spine, and a pair of spindly wings spread out as it lowered its head.

“A dragon?!” Ryoma was stunned, how did a mere woman have that much power to summon an ancient beast?

“Correction my dear samurai, a Blight Dragon!” Arete shouted.

With a wave of her wrist, the dragon responded to its master with a gurgling roar. Putrid air flowed from its mouth instead of fire, and the force managed to knock both Ryoma and Azura back. One of its skeletal wings came down, Ryoma barely had any time to react but he managed to roll away. The force of the impact left a gaping hole in the concrete, the darkness of the pit below them seemed wider than before. The dragon jabbed one of its claws against the samurai. Even as a ghost, Ryoma could do little more than block the attack with the edge of his Rajinto.

He skidded backward and nearly collided with the base of the Dusk Dragon statue. But he managed to push back and dodge when the claw landed. The dragon was slow, but its attacks were far more powerful than him. Azura readily dodged the other claw that came her way, but her lance didn’t even leave a scratch when she attacked. The dragon slowly turned around and swung its tail. The movement jangled the massive chains that held the courtyard in place.

“What’s wrong Prince Ryoma? Is he too strong?” Arete smirked.

Ryoma expected the tail to go through him but instead, it collided with his body head-on. The dragon’s incredible weight brought him crashing down into the stone, only for the samurai to phase helplessly through it. He jabbed his Rajinto into the platform and heaved himself up. He phased through the stone and came up on the other side of the statue base.

“How was that possible?” He whispered to himself.

“Prince Ryoma are you alright?” Camilla and Leo came running, as the ground shook beneath them from the dragon’s slow stomps.

“There’s a Blight Dragon on the lose.” He slowly climbed to his feet; even with no injury evident, he had still felt the impact of that giant tail.

“What in the seven hells is a Blight Dragon?” Leo asked incredulously.

The Dusk Dragon statue suddenly shattered into rubble by the very dragon that stomped towards the royals. Leo summoned a thicket of trees to shield them. The rubble rained down harmlessly upon the shield, but when Leo pulled back the branches the dragon thrust its claw forward and grabbed him. With unmatchable strength the dragon raised Leo overhead, the Nohrian prince could do very little in terms of struggle.

“LEO!” Camilla screamed; the Nohrian princess ran full speed on her heels towards the dragon’s thick legs.

She angrily raised her axe and struck it against the dragon’s knee, while it didn’t leave a mark the dragon roared and flinched back. Ryoma raced up the dragon’s raised arm and grabbed Leo. He leaped off of the armored claw and landed a few feet away with the blonde in tow. Camilla summoned a bolt of her magic, electrified the edge of her axe and dug it into the dragon’s lower leg. The dragon reared its leg and kicked Camilla away, sending her flying back into the pile of rubble.

“So that’s a Blight Dragon,” Leo deadpanned as Ryoma set him down.

“It’s too strong.” Ryoma took up another fighting stance, it was a hopeless battle the only they could do was go on the defensive.

“By the way Prince Ryoma, have you seen Kamui or Prince Takumi?” Leo looked around the ruined battlefield confusedly. His sister and her resident ghost had up and disappeared.

“I’M RIGHT HERE!” Kamui called. The dragon princess was perched on top of one of the massive chains. She raised her Grim Yato and pointed it at the Blight Dragon. Ryoma quickly scoured the battlefield for his little brother, but Takumi was nowhere to be found. And Kamui didn’t have the Fujin Yumi with her.

Azura carefully helped Camilla to her feet, the Nohrian princess was bleeding from her temple and her fringed hair was sticking to her face. The songstress carefully placed her fingers against the wound and hummed her song. Water poured from her fingers and stopped the bleeding.

“I’m sorry that’s all I can do right now,” Azura said apologetically.

Camilla peered down at the undead singer with a sharp curiosity. Her expression remained stoic as she slowly pointed her axe at the young woman.

“Are you really Azura?” She asked.

Azura pointedly brought her hand to the base of Camilla’s axe and pointed it down away from her. She stared up at the woman with an expression matching hers in power and stoicism.

“Yes,” she said quietly.

Camilla’s eyes narrowed, and she studied the undead singer closely. She bent forwards and peered directly into Azura’s face. After a moment a wide smile spread across Camilla’s lips and she clapped her hands together in glee.

“Wonderful. Then that means I don’t have to hurt you,” she said cheerfully.

An explosion that cut through one of the massive chains interrupted the pair. The platform shook and wavered to the left as the chain holding it together came undone. Camilla watched in dismay as the chain fell back against the castle pit with a violent crash. The platform underneath them tilted and swayed downwards, but it wasn’t enough to completely throw them off balance.

“Kamui!” Camilla cried, with her axe raised she ran after her sister.

Kamui dodged the dragon’s attack; she dove between its feet and ran for the second chain. Arete growled and threw fireballs at the dragon princess. Kamui formed a pair of wings from her back and glided close to the ground. She batted away the fireballs with her sword, being barely capable to match Arete’s speed. She stopped at the edge of the platform with her back against the chain.

Camilla came up from the side and managed to block the dragon’s claw from crushing her sister. Her axe ground against the limb that threatened to crush them. With a final push, Camilla slammed her heel into the stone and tossed the claw away. She grabbed Kamui’s hand and dodged away from the dragon’s putrid breath. The dragon’s weight proved to be too much for the slanting platform, the chain that was above their heads rattled uneasily.

“Sister! Stop!” Kamui violently pulled her hand away.

“Kamui, dear, are you crazy? That monster is too strong!” Camilla screeched.

“Exactly!” Kamui ran past her sister towards another chain on the opposite side of the courtyard.

Camilla skidded to a stop, she watched as Kamui drew Arete’s attention towards her new position. The dragon princess positioned herself in front of the chain with her Grim Yato held tightly. The oldest Nohrian princess stared at her sister, before turning her attention to the shaking chain. Her eyes flickered over to the chain that hung uselessly in the air in thought. After a moment she snapped her fingers in realization.

“Clever girl,” she whispered.

“Kamui!” Ryoma was about to catch up with his younger sister, but Camilla blocked his path with her axe. The ghost’s leg phased through her weapon and he came to a stop out of instinct.

Camilla jabbed her head over at where Kamui stood. The dragon princess weaved between the Blight Dragon’s legs to keep it occupied. She barely avoided the crushing blows, and her wounds were bleeding from exertion. But she was standing all the same. Ryoma’s eyes widened in realization, he looked towards Camilla who nodded. The pair of them split apart, with Camilla heading for the chain diagonal from Kamui. Ryoma ran across the platform towards the chain next to Kamui’s.

“Leo!” Camilla called for her baby brother.

The youngest Nohrian prince was currently battling the last few Faceless with his retainers. At the sound of his name, he turned his head to face his sister. Camilla’s eyes focused on his Brynhildr and then on the chain above her head. Leo paused, his expression turned thoughtful as he processed her unspoken desire. After a moment he observed the position of the others. When he noticed Kamui and Ryoma, his face lit up with realization.

“Got it,” he replied before gathering up his Brynhildr.

Leo gave his retainers an order, but from her distance, Camilla couldn’t hear what he said. By their reactions, she surmised it wasn’t something pleasant. Odin looked horrified and seemed to be arguing with his master. Niles had his hand on his chin before he grabbed Odin and tossed him over his shoulder. With a salute, Niles ran and dropped off the edge of the platform. With Odin screaming helplessly all the way. Leo hid behind the rubble pile; he braced his spell and centered on the conflict.

“You are barely making a dent Princess Kamui,” Arete laughed darkly. She flicked her wrist and directed the dragon to charge at the princess. The Blight Dragon wavered; a too familiar dark aura surrounded its body and forced it to roar.

Kamui didn’t say a word; she stood perfectly still and raised her Grim Yato in defense.

With a flick of her tongue, Arete clenched her fist shut. The dragon responded by charging head on towards Kamui. The dragon princess waited until the dragon was above her, then she dove between its legs causing the reptile to crash into the chain. With a ringing crash, the chain was pulled out of its hold in the castle wall. The chain fell into the abyss below, and the platform titled chaotically making Kamui slide against the stone. She jabbed her Grim Yato into the ground and watched as Arete quickly climbed onto the Blight Dragon’s back. The dragon in question jabbed its sharp claws into the stone, barely hanging on even as the stone cracked underneath its enormous weight.

“What is game that you’re playing?!” Arete yelled.

“I can’t defeat you. But the bigger they are the harder they fall! NOW!” Kamui cried.

Camilla and Ryoma both raised their weapons and sent them crashing into the weaker links of their respective chains. Leo cast what little magic he had left, and watched as thousands of dark vines crawled up the support chains. When the weaker links were cut, he smashed his fist down onto his divine weapon. The vines came together and crushed the chains. Kamui grabbed her stone and transformed fully into a dragon.

She dove off of the tilting platform and let her wings spread. She quickly grabbed Leo with her front limbs and went after her other siblings. Camilla ran off of the edge and landed expertly on her back. Kamui flapped her wings and gained some altitude, she roared at Ryoma and circled over his head. The ghostly samurai bent down and jumped, managing to grab onto his sister’s tail. She wrapped it around his middle and helped him on climbing onto her flank.

The platform came undone, and the Blight Dragon fell into the abyss with Arete on top. The sorceress growled and plunged her sharp heels into the dragon’s side. With a painful cry, the reptile spread its skeletal wings and tried to climb after Kamui. Weighted down by two of her siblings, the dragon princess could barely keep herself in the air. She lifted her head and rang out a shrill cry.

“NOW TAKUMI!” She sang out.

A blue portal opened up beneath her, with two ghosts standing in the opening. Takumi had his weapon drawn and pointed at the Blight Dragon, and Lilith floated beside him with her little hands digging into her orb. The archer launched an arrow and directed it at the Blight Dragon’s eye. The arrow flew and pierced its target with deadly accuracy. The Blight Dragon stumbled and lost its flight path. With a terrorizing roar, it shook its head in agony. With their enemy distracted, Kamui propelled herself towards the portal. Takumi grabbed Leo’s hand and helped him into the entrance, and Camilla tossed herself into it.

Ryoma was just about to follow when a ruinous crack of lightning hit Kamui. Her entire body took the brunt of the attack, her limbs shook involuntarily, and her wings drooped. The dragon princess painfully grabbed her older brother with her tail and tossed him into the portal with the last of her strength.

“KAMUI!” Takumi dove for her, but Ryoma blocked his path.

Kamui de-transformed, her body lost its upright position, and she fell head first into the abyss.

“Lilith…close the…portal!” She screamed.

“No! Kamui!” Takumi let out the most anguished and desperate cry that shook Kamui to her core. She weakly lifted her head and could barely see her younger brother struggling to follow her. Ryoma held the archer by his torso, and her Nohrian siblings were trying to pull him back. She smiled sadly and signaled for Lilith to close the portal. The tiny undead dragon chirped after her with sadness, but with a flick of her tail, the entrance closed.

“You will suffer Princess Kamui!” Arete was holding on to the Blight Dragon’s head and chasing after her. With a tiny smirk, Kamui shook her head.

“Not this time Your Majesty,” she mocked.

A painfully familiar tune filled the air around them; the Blight Dragon paused in its pursuit. It’s glowing eyes crossed together before it searched the area with a muffled growl. Standing on the bridge that led to the castle, Azura was humming her song. The songstress opened her mouth and spread out her hands.

“ ~ You are the ocean grey waves. ~ ” Her song rang with power, and around her neck, her pendant shined with a pure light.

“WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!” Arete yelled.

“While I distracted you, my brother Takumi retrieved it for her!” Kamui replied.

Azura’s volume increased, she gently grasped her pendant and raised it in the air. The light grew stronger the longer she sang until the Blight Dragon was surrounded by the same aura. Azura reached a pitching high note, and as her voice vibrated the Blight Dragon’s body started to break apart.

With a grieving cry, the Blight Dragon crumbled away and Arete fell headlong into the abyss with Kamui.

“You are but a thorn in my side!” Arete lunged for Kamui; her dark energy pushed the dragon princess back and forced her into the wall.

Kamui’s head scraped harshly against the stone and dirt. Rocks rained down upon her, impacting against her skull and hair. Arete kept a stranglehold on her, the dark energy she used dug harshly into Kamui’s skin.

“What the?” Arete was stunned; her dark energy should have possessed the princess. But, it licked uselessly against her body and swirled around her in confusion.

A large draconic roar radiated through their minds. Kamui flinched in pain, and Arete looked up at the sky in amazement.

“I see. So you and my master are...” Her golden eyes turned bright with bemusement.

Before she could finish her sentence, a golden arrow of light shot from the sky and hit Arete through the chest. The sorceress gasped and let go of Kamui. The dragon princess couldn’t see what was happening. Her vision was blurry, and her senses were dulling. She struggled to stay awake, but the trauma she had suffered was drawing her body into unconsciousness.

From the sky, a woman dressed in white fell. Kamui could only see her raven colored hair and her flowing robes. The woman was faced away from her, with her divine bow drawn and pointed at Arete.

“You are-!” Arete was interrupted by another shot to her chest. This time the light spread across her skin like a spider web. The sorceress screamed as her body disintegrated into dust. Kamui’s eyesight blackened for a second, she quickly blinked hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman’s face. A pair of gentle hands grasped her face, and against her forehead, she felt cold skin.

“My dear.” Kamui’s eyes shot open at the voice, her mother Mikoto was holding her close as they continued to fall.

“M-mother…?” Kamui gasped.

“Do not worry. We will carry you to safety,” Mikoto said sweetly.

“We…?” Kamui whispered as a pair of strong warm arms wrapped around her torso. She was gently pulled into a broad chest, one that held no heartbeat and no breath in its breast.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kamui saw a pair of carmine eyes peeking at her from beneath a hood. It was a male who was smiling sadly at her. A corner of his hood lifted up, and bright blue hair flowed upwards in the breeze.

“You’ll be just fine Kamui,” he said softly with as much affection and warmth he could fill into that one sentence.

Kamui fell into unconsciousness, with her mother and the strange male holding her close and surrounding her with their mixed warmth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be shorter I promise.


	27. Chapter 27: Second Act: Uncertainty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It’s been a few months but I am back with the next act. As said before these chapters will be a bit shorter than the first act. No Kamui this chapter, but I think these guys will be good on their own :)

“No! Kamui!” Takumi flailed his legs about as he pounded against Ryoma’s arms. His older brother held him around the waist with his gauntleted hands clasped in the middle. Camilla and Leo were dodging his legs and slowly backing away from the portal.

The astral dragon Lilith was circling above their heads with her eyes trained on the portal. She let out a worried chirp, and with a flick of her tail, the blue entrance sealed the group of royals in the new realm.

As soon as the portal closed Kamui disappeared from his mind. He could no longer feel the gentle brush of her spirit or the whirlwind of her emotions. His head was empty, and silent, except for his own racing thoughts.

“SISTER!” Takumi screamed. He clawed desperately at Ryoma’s arms, his fingers digging into the metal and causing it to screech unpleasantly.

“Takumi! Calm yourself!” Ryoma commanded, his arms tightening so as not to let his brother loose.

“No! She’s gone!!” Takumi cried, his head jerked forward towards where the portal had been. Ryoma slowly took a step back, only for his younger brother to scream more and kick even harder. Leo was currently helping Camilla make her way towards them, one of her injured arms slung across his thin shoulders.

“Did you two see Kamui?” Ryoma asked over the sounds of Takumi’s cries.

Leo’s dark eyes flickered between the faces of the Hoshidan brothers, his brow furrowed and he looked up at Camilla. The older princess was watching the crying ghost with sympathy. She glanced down at her own little brother and nodded sadly.

“Kamui fell into the abyss. But a woman in white saved her,” Leo spoke up.

Ryoma dodged a clenched fist aiming for his forehead. He gently held Takumi with one hand and caught the fist with the other. Takumi seemed to deflate at Leo’s words, his body went slack and his spirit flickered from grief.

“It can’t be…” Ryoma whispered, doubt crawling across his troubled face.

Shaking his head and gathering his limp brother more securely, Ryoma turned his attention towards their new surroundings. They were situated on a small stone walkway, about the size of a normal bridge. To the south of them was a larger section of stone with what looked like a small assortment of turrets and buildings. Further beyond that, he could see a grand looking gateway that remained closed to whatever lay beyond.

To his right and left were similar looking stone platforms with smaller stone bridges connecting them to the center. A great wall surrounded the entire structure, and to the north were even more buildings that emulated the look of a small town. Amazingly the sky overhead was no longer dark or grey, the bright blue skyscape was just as bright as the sunny days of Hoshido.

“We need to hurry, who knows what happened to the others.” Leo walked past the samurai, assisting Camilla’s injured body across the bridge.

With no idea on where to go, Ryoma quickly followed after the Nohrian siblings. Takumi had grown eerily silent, and currently had his face buried into Ryoma’s chest. His Fujin Yumi was tightly grasped in his hold, but except for the occasional shudder of his shoulders, he remained still.

Ryoma gently rubbed his brother’s arm with the hand underneath his backside. The younger prince responded with a broken sob and buried himself deeper into his brother’s chest. Overhead, the sky disappeared as Ryoma stepped into a small building near the throne room.

Entering the main room, he noticed it looked to be similar to the infirmary he had seen back in Castle Krankenburg. But this one was smaller and much cleaner, there were also less injured souls milling about. Leo helped Camilla sit on one of the makeshift beds, and groaned as he rolled out his shoulders.

“Sorry, I appear to be lighter than I really am," Camilla teased as she started to remove her gauntlets.

“A dainty maiden can hardly wield a giant axe like you can Sister,” Leo grumbled.

Camilla waved off her brother’s comment and slowly reached behind herself to remove her cape. She flinched when the burns across her upper arm started to sting. With a sigh, she brought her arms back to her sides.

“Leo. Would you mind grabbing me one of my nightshifts?” She asked.

“Sister, you can’t just remove your armor in front of a bunch of men.” Leo snapped.

The older sister removed her stilettos and leaned back against the thin pillows. Without the excess of ebony armor, she looked more like a princess and less like a vicious warrior. But the glare she leveled at her younger sibling was layered with anger and fire. Even without her magic tomes, Ryoma dully noted not to irritate the oldest Nohrian princess.

“How snide of you Brother. But any assumptions you make on my apparent lack of grace are on your shoulders. Now, can you please retrieve one of my nightgowns?” Camilla stated cooly.

Leo stiffened at the unspoken threat; he swiftly rubbed the back of his head and ducked away without another comment. As he passed Ryoma, the undead samurai thought he saw a bit of pink dotting the Nohrian prince’s cheeks. He advanced past Camilla to a bed in the far corner.

The beds were all lined up against one of the two main walls; there were curtains to draw around each one. The beds themselves weren’t extravagant, but they were decent for medical purposes. Ryoma tried to maneuver Takumi away from his body, but the moment he moved his brother clenched on tighter. Takumi let out another broken sob and quickly grasped onto Ryoma’s coat.

“Come on Takumi. You’ll feel better if you lie down,” Ryoma coaxed.

The archer didn’t say a word; he desperately shook his head and rested his forehead against the cold metal of his brother’s armor.

“It looks like your brother wants to be held,” Camilla said softly. The princess had made her way to the nearby medical supplies and was gathering some burn ointments.

“But why? He’s never been the affectionate type.” Ryoma glanced down at his brother, a spark of worry blooming in his dead chest.

Pieces of memories floated to the surface of his mind. The teenage boy in his hands morphed into a 5-year-old child who wanted to play with his big brother. Another instant was a young preteen prince trying to hide his tears as he failed to notch an arrow. The most recent was of a 16-year-old Takumi with a glower in his eyes. That last memory made Ryoma pause; he watched his brother’s shuddering form with sorrow.

It was the memory that he regretted the most.

“Okay.” Ryoma slowly seated himself against the headboard of the bed. He toed off his shoes and rested his back against the wood. He removed the Rajinto from his hip with his spare hand and laid it against the wall. With a huff, he brought one knee up towards his chest and began to stroke Takumi’s hair.

He watched Camilla silently as the woman painfully removed her armor. She was wearing a corset and protective undergarments. Across her bare shoulders was a massive burn, spreading across her pale skin like a splash of lava. The ends of her hair had also been burnt off, leaving the lilac strands to curl against the bottom of her shoulder blades. The woman bit her lip as she started to apply a round of healing ointments.

“I really wish Elise was here,” she said calmly.

“Is your little sister a gifted healer?” Ryoma inquired, his hand slowly carding through the ends of Takumi’s ponytail.

“Yes. She is the best healer we have in Nohr.” Camilla smiled fondly; she swiped another dollop of pale cream onto her left shoulder. A whimper of pain escaped between her lips but she kept her eyes steady on her work.

“We try and keep her away from the battlefield. But with the recent war, she is working hard to prepare herself.” Camilla grabbed a roll of bandages and started to wrap them between her fingers.

Ryoma jerked his head up. Ever since he had come back from the afterlife, there had been little to no mention of the war. He had visited Hoshido, and while some buildings were still being prepared, the people had gone back to their daily lives. Hinoka was working with her council to repair the castle, and Sakura had taken her position as Royal Healer of the kingdom. No Nohrians had been seen even in the royal capital, it was as if Nohr had never invaded his home.

“Speaking of which, why did your King not annex Hoshido?” Ryoma asked.

Camilla’s backside went rigid, and her bandaging paused. She swiped one of her hands through her burnt hair and turned to stare at him. Even in her undressed state, the oldest princess of Nohr had wisdom far beyond her years. Her gaze was sorrowful, and yet held a gentle strength that spoke eons of her own convictions.

“My brother Xander had no plans to annex Hoshido. Our father Garon wanted to destroy it.” Her words rumbled darkly before she reached for the bandages and resumed her work.

“But why? Weren’t your people jealous of our fortune?” Ryoma watched as Takumi finally started to relax, his grip on the Fujin Yumi lessening slightly.

“Of course my people were jealous. But Garon was the one who enticed them to invade. We are an adaptive bunch, what we lack we can simply improvise.” Camilla flipped her hair over her backside and wrapped her shoulder.

The image of a 16-year-old Takumi glowering at him kept Ryoma rooted in his seat. He held his brother closer to his chest and buried his chin into his soft silver hair. Takumi had fallen into a light doze, his grey skin and transparent body only left a reminder of his untimely demise.

“That sounds a lot like someone I know,” Ryoma murmured.

“Do you hate us Prince Ryoma?”

Leo stood in the doorway with a small satchel clutched in his hands. His face was grim as he silently handed Camilla her clothing. He gingerly grabbed the bandages from her and helped wrap up her burns. As the pair of siblings focused on their task, Takumi started to stir in Ryoma’s arms. He let out a small groan, and amber eyes narrowed as they looked up at him.

“I can’t feel her Brother. She’s gone,” he breathed.

“Shh, Takumi, rest,” Ryoma said calmly and rubbed his brother’s back. The action seemed to be enough for the archer. He mumbled grumpily and fell back asleep with his head leaning on Ryoma’s chest.

Brown clashed with grey; Leo was watching him intently with shadows dancing in his gaze.

“I don’t hate you Prince Leo, but your actions have cost many lives,” Ryoma spoke with the patience of a king. He wanted nothing more than to feel Takumi’s breath against his neck. If only he had been there to stop his brother’s death.

Nobody deserved that kind of fate.

“Your so-called ‘King’ captured Kamui, he killed my father, left my mother in despair,” Ryoma gingerly placed Takumi upon the bed and laid his Fujin Yumi over where his heart would be.

He stepped up and towered over the two Nohrians. Even with no sword at his side, the former Crown Prince of Hoshido was a force to behold. He had his back straightened and his arms folded. Leo couldn’t help the bead of sweat that rolled down the side of his neck, somewhere in the back of his head he just knew.

The only reason Kamui had won was that Ryoma had let her.

“And not to mention you royals kidnapped Sakura, you tore my capital to shreds, you caused Takumi to die, and you made Hinoka flee,” Ryoma’s eyes seemed to glow in the dim light. An eerie feeling crept up Leo’s back, and he subtly shielded Camilla from the ghost’s wrath.

It was the exact same aura that Takumi exuded when he was angry.

“Your ‘King’ also used Kamui against us and killed Queen Mikoto which started the war that he so dearly sought,” Ryoma’s voice rose an octave. He was practically shouting at them for all the pain that they had caused. But after a moment he sucked in a breath and the anger disappeared.

“However, my people had grown complacent. They didn’t even consider the pain that Nohrians were enduring all these years.”

Camilla gently put a hand on Leo’s head and finished dressing in her nightgown. She slowly stood up with no assistance and matched Ryoma’s stance with her own. Defenseless with no weapon, and no armor, the oldest princess of Nohr stood toe to toe with an undead samurai who once led the Hoshidan army.

“So now where do we go from here Prince Ryoma?” She asked.

Ryoma was quiet, his mind being bombarded with images of each of his siblings in their younger years. He had failed to protect them, hell; he even failed to get Kamui to come home. Takumi was dead, and so was he. And his other two sisters were ruling the realm on their own.

Where COULD he go from here? He was a prince with no kingdom, no army, and no allies but the couple he found now.

“I don’t know,” he admitted softly.

Camilla smiled and presented the Hoshidan samurai with her open palm.

“I guess that makes us the same, so why not work together? Not as royals, but as people with a common goal?” She offered.

“And what goal would that be?” Ryoma asked skeptically.

“Killing that dragon god, and stopping the end of the world?” The sides of Camilla’s lips curled upwards. The one eye Ryoma could see was dark purple and vibrant with energy. But it was dangerous and sharp, just like her axe blade.

He glanced back at his baby brother; the young archer was curled on his side with his yumi nuzzled against his cheek.

“All I want to do right now is protect him,” he motioned his head towards the ghost on the bed.

“As all older siblings should,” Camilla removed her offered hand and casually patted Leo on the head. Earning an embarrassed grumble from her little brother, she gingerly lay back on her bed and folded up her legs beneath her gown.

“Well, we are safe for the moment. None of those Invaders can enter this realm, and we are the only ones here,” she yawned.

A terrifying scream ripped through the relative peace that had settled. Ryoma immediately leaped into action, his senses on high alert as he looked around. From the bed, Takumi was thrashing in his sleep. The older brother immediately grabbed him and tried to wake him with gentle shakes.

“Takumi, calm down, you are safe,” Ryoma said over his raucous cries.

The archer wasn’t aware of him or even of his surroundings. His Fujin Yumi clattered to the floor and a slippered foot nearly collided with Ryoma’s head. His amber eyes flew open, the pupils completely encompassing the iris, and his screams grew louder.

But the moment his eyes focused on Ryoma, his movements halted.

Ryoma held his brother a couple of inches away from his own body and stared at him. A few silvery tears escaped from Takumi’s eyes, but that owlish gaze never left the samurai.

“Brother?” he whispered hopefully.

Ryoma blanched and was about to let go of the archer but Takumi grabbed on for dear life. His transparent fingers clenching tightly at the fabric of Ryoma’s coat arm. His lips were trembling, and the number of tears only increased. He was looking up at his older brother with such happiness and delusional hope. It was heartbreaking.

“Please don’t leave, I promise I’ll do better!” Takumi sobbed.

“Takumi, what-” The archer tackled Ryoma with his entire body, his arms circling around Ryoma’s waist and his legs doing the same. Ryoma stumbled before his hands were once again full of a sobbing ghostly brother.

“I promise!” Takumi’s sobs were getting heavier, and deeper.

Ryoma glanced helplessly up at the other two royals who looked like they had just caught a wyvern eating their cattle. Leo unfroze first, his throat clearing awkwardly.

“It seems Takumi’s emotions have finally broken free,” he said skeptically.

Ryoma clicked his tongue and gently hugged his baby brother to his center. Takumi took this as a good sign, his sobs increased but this time a melancholic tone of relief joined in with his crying.

“You aren’t a failure.” Ryoma could feel his eyes burning at the corners. He took a deep calming breath through his nose and removed one of the gauntlets on his hand. His pale hand met soft hair, and his fingers began to run through Takumi’s hair again.

The effect was instantaneous, his brother’s sobs calmed and his grip slackened slightly.

“Oh Takumi, you were never a failure. I never thought you were.” The samurai ended up curling up on the floor with his brother in his lap.

On the whim of instinct, the former prince began to rock slowly just enough for only for Takumi to notice. To the other royals, it only looked like he was adjusting his position for comfort.

“Please don’t think you are...” Ryoma buried his chin in the crown of his brother’s head.

Leo awkwardly sat next to Camilla as the two siblings watched the Hoshidan brothers. He flinched when he saw Takumi’s backside shiver and clench. The Hoshidan prince had never even shown a modicum of his sadness. All Leo had ever seen was his anger and snark, but seeing his true pain now was unsettling.

Camilla wrapped her arms around him and brought him closer. She sighed and frowned with pity when she noticed Ryoma’s subtle rocking.

“Now what do we do?” Leo asked.

Camilla’s lips tightened.

She managed to catch a glimpse of white as the ghost of Azura peeked her head around the corner. Her golden irises were so different from the ruby that she had once sported. But her translucent face was still the same, and so was the water that dripped from her dress. It seemed she had time to switch out of that purple dress into her normal white appearance.

The ghost was grasping the pendant that she always wore in life, it was dull and covered in grime but it was still her prized possession. Her eyes flicked between the two pairs of royals questioningly and then centered on Camilla.

With no Kamui, an unstable Takumi, and no idea where her other two siblings were, Camilla was at a loss. She felt the stinging pain of her burns spread out when she tried to stretch out her limbs.

Leo was right, what could they do now? They had stopped Arete, but Kamui was still missing, and now they had Azura back on their side.

“I don’t know,” she sighed into Leo’s hair.

Uncertainty was the only truth that they had.


End file.
